Excavation of a Bronze Age Burial Site

Pier Road, Armadale, Isle of Skye

Ryefield Farm Tore Ross-shire IV6 7SB Scotland Email: [email protected] Mob: 07776 027306 Ph: 01463 811310 ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

Excavation of a Bronze Age Burial Site at Pier Road, Armadale, Isle of Skye

Data Structure Report Excavation summary and preliminary findings

January 2011

Mary Peteranna Ross and Cromarty Archaeological Services

Funded by: Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association UBC Group Ltd

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Contents Cover photo: Lifting of the Cist 3 capstone

1 Summary 5

2 Introduction 5

3 Site location, topography and geology 5

4 Archaeological background 6

5 Aims and objectives 8

6 Methodology 8

7 Results 9

8 Summary of archaeological finds 24

9 Discussion 30

10 Conclusion 35

11 Cleaning and conservation 35

12 Scottish Treasure Trove reporting 35

13 Publication, education and presentation 35

References 37

Figures 1 Site location 6 2 First Edition OS map showing Armadale Bay 7 3 Site plan of the main burial site 14 4 Section 39: Feature 10 in profile (E-facing) 16 5 Section 42: Feature 16 in profile (N-facing) 18 6 Plan 44: Stone setting at base of Feature 19 20 7 Section 49: Feature 19 in profile (SE-facing) 21 8 Plan 26: Cist 3 49 Plates 1 Cist 1 and Cist 2, contents in situ 11 2 The main burial site 38 3 Cist 3 inhumed remains 39

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4 Cist 3 skull remains on cobbled floor 40 5 Cist 4 inhumed remains in situ 41 6 Decorated pot sherd from Cist 5 42 7 Cist 7 inhumed remains 43 8 Cist 7 skull and teeth remains 44 9 Five flint tools from Cist 7 45 10 Wrist guard and decorated food vessel from Cist 4 46 11 Dismantled stone / post circle 47 12 Feature 19 cairn and burial structure 48

Appendices Appendix 1 Index of Features 50 Appendix 2 Index of Contexts 61 Appendix 3 Index of Finds 75

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1 Summary

An archaeological excavation was carried out at Pier Road, Armadale, Isle of Skye on behalf of Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association. The excavation uncovered a Bronze Age burial site centred around one large cist encircled by a ring of interconnected pits and three standing stones. Six further cists containing inhumation and cremation burials and pits containing cremated remains were uncovered across the site. Preservation of the inhumed remains was extremely poor. Three decorated food vessel pots, fragments from a fourth decorated pot, a fragment of a stone wrist guard and a group of five finely made flint tools were recovered from the cists. Possible earlier structures were also revealed below and beyond the main burial site. A variety of lithic materials were also found scattered across the site deposits. A kerbed cairn appeared to have been the final closure phase of the site. 2 Introduction

The excavation took place as a result of an archaeological watching brief in August 2009, which uncovered two cist burials, during the early phases of development of the Pier Road, Armadale site for housing1. Excavation immediately followed the watching brief from September 2009 to January 2010. Prior to site clearance, there were no visible features on the ground nor were there any known sites of archaeological interest within the boundaries of the site. The excavation revealed a complex site likely spanning and possibly even predating the Bronze Age. The archaeological features on the site included seven burial cists, a stone and timber post circle, five pits containing cremated remains, a small cairn with burial setting, two hearths, a kerbed cairn and other pits and postholes. The assemblage of artefacts recovered during excavation consists of ceramic and stone burial goods from the cists and scattered lithic tools and debitage throughout most contexts. The archaeological evidence showed that use of the site had been purely for funerary purposes. There was no artefactual or structural evidence for domestic occupation. The fieldwork also included clearance of a previously known chambered cairn site located approximately 50m to the north of the excavation. Interpretation and presentation of the cairn was a requirement attached to the initial planning condition.

3 Site location, topography and geology

The development site was located in Armadale at southern end of the Sleat Peninsula, Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland. The excavation site was centred at Ordnance Survey (OS) National Grid Reference (NGR) NG 6365 0382, located in the northeast corner of the planned development, on the north side of Pier Road which accesses the Armadale-Mallaig ferry terminal. The burial site had been constructed on a spit of shingle beach at about 8m OD, situated to the south of a chambered cairn (Highland HER # MHG5246) located on top of a bedrock outcrop at about 15m OD. The site was bordered from west to northwest by an artist’s studio, a private house and a filling station. The landscape beyond this extends uphill over forested slopes to open moorland. Armadale Bay and the Sound of Sleat are located to the east and south of the site, which gives seaward access to the Inner Sound of Skye to northeast, the Scottish mainland to east and the Inner Hebrides to south-southwest.

1 Highland Council Planning Department, SL-06-142: Mixed-Use Development at Pier Road, Armadale. 5

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Figure 1 Site Location2

4 Archaeological background

Although there were no known earlier structures or archaeological sites within the development area, a large burial cairn (Highland Historic Environment Record (HHER) #MHG5246) is located 50m north of the site at NGR NG 6368 0387.

In 1961, a long cist burial was uncovered near Armadale pier near the southeast side of the development site at NGR NG 6374 0379. The cist, which contained partial remains of an

2 Mapped reproduced with permission of ProMAP Licence no. LIG1044 6 ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

inhumation burial, measured about 2’ wide by 6’ long on an E-W orientation and had been constructed of 2-3’ long stones and covered with several capping slabs. It was uncovered approximately 1’ below the sandy gravel subsoil, and there is no further information about the burial, the remains of which were reinterred in nearby Kilmore graveyard. It has been said that another burial had been uncovered near the site approximately 70 years prior, although there is no formal record of this3. The development area was thought to be, for many generations, a burial 4 site from a legendary clan battle .

The First Edition Ordnance Survey map, below, shows the development site as cultivated fields adjacent to the bay. Local members of the community attest that the site was last used for grazing and as a local playing field5.

Figure 2 First Edition OS map of Armadale Bay6

The geology of the Sleat Peninsula is a complex result of Caledonian thrusting: Lewisian gneiss is overlain by Torridonian rocks comprising an older Sleat Group of fine metamorphosed sandstone and shales and a Torridon Group of red sandstones. These underlie Cambrian quartzite and Durness limestone. The three thrusts account for “an upside-down stratigraphy” where the eldest (gneiss) rock lies above Moine schist, which overlies the newer rock7. Nearby to the site, schist outcrops and basalt dykes are an obvious feature of the geology and a disused schist quarry is located 100m NW of the site. The natural subsoil on the site was mostly pea-sized rounded gravels with some areas of sand interspersed.

3 HHER #MHG5244 4 Pers. comm. S. Thrinefal. 5 Pers. comm. S. Thrinefal. 6 National Library of Scotland. Http://www.nls.uk 7 Gillen, Con. Geology and landscapes of Scotland. 2002: 152. 7 ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

5 Aims and objectives

The aim of the fieldwork was to identify, record and excavate in entirety all of the archaeological features and finds on the site, in order that the archaeology be preserved in record prior to its destruction during development. The Scottish Planning Policy 2010 describes how archaeology should be managed when considering planning decisions and determining conditions for developments that have an impact on the historic environment8. The work was in accordance with the follow-up work required as per the original planning requirement specification and written scheme of investigation (WSI) for the excavation phase of this project9.

The specific objectives were: • To establish the presence or absence of archaeological remains within the area immediately surrounding the two cists identified during the watching brief • To remove by hand any overburden in order to expose the archaeological deposits • To section and record all features or structures according to standard methodologies for good practice • To sample buried soils and other archaeological deposits in order to gather information on the contemporary environment as well as material for dating • To fully excavate features, safeguarding structural stonework, when possible, for future reconstruction of the site • To assess the surrounding area for evidence of other cists or associated features • To clear off vegetation from the prehistoric cairn (HHER# MHG 5246) in order to characterise and plan the site

6 Methodology

6.1 Desk-based assessment

An assessment of desk-based sources was undertaken prior to conducting the initial watching brief. This included the records held by the National Monuments Record of Scotland (NMRS), Highland Historic Environment Record (HHER), Clan Donald Archives, historical mapping, statistical accounts, aerial photography and other literary and archival resources.

6.2 Excavation and recording

The excavation took place in three phases, the latter two of which were conducted under ever- increasing constraints due to deteriorating weather and daylight conditions. The team of archaeologists consisted of five Highlands-based archaeologists: Steven Birch, Lynn Fraser, Cait McCullagh, Mary Peteranna and Martin Wildgoose.

Open area excavation was conducted to reveal all of the observed features of archaeological interest. All areas of interest were cleaned back initially using drawhoe to define the extent of the site. Individual features were sectioned and excavated by hand trowel, based on standard stratigraphic principles. Recording was undertaken using standard context and feature record sheets, plan / section drawings, position and level recording using a staff-mounted Trimble handheld computer with Total Station and digital photography. All work was conducted in accordance with the Institute for Archaeologists (IfA) Code of Conduct.

8 The Scottish Government. Scottish Planning Policy 2010. 9 HCAU. Mixed-use development at Pier Road, Armadale, Isle of Skye. SL-06-142 8

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Phase 1 consisted of the excavation of the main burial site comprising six cists, five deposits of cremated remains, one stone-lined burial structure, a post / stone circle and its associated features. Two hearths, which were apparently unrelated to the burials, and were encountered by chance, were also identified and excavated. The work was undertaken during September and October 2009 during mostly dry conditions in September with wetter weather becoming more frequent in October. All of the structures were excavated out of the ground and the cist construction slabs were labelled and stored for possible future reconstruction by the local archaeology society, Arc-èolas Shleite.

Phase 2 arose as a result of construction work on an area of the site already assumed to be clear of archaeology. This consisted of the excavation of Cist 7 (Feature 34). Fieldwork was undertaken in November 2009, during a week of cold and dry weather conditions.

Phase 3 was undertaken in December 2009 and January 2010 after the removal of overhead power lines and an electricity pole, which had delayed the excavation of the area north of the main burial site. A large part of this area had been previously disturbed by installation trenches for the overhead line pole and electricity cables (cuts for three such trenches were found).

The Phase 3 area included the remains of a kerbed cairn, Feature 23, and other pit, posthole and agricultural features which underlay the old ground surface associated with the burial site and sealed by the kerbed cairn. Also during Phase 3, the chambered cairn (HHER #MHG5246) was cleared of vegetation and surveyed using a self-reducing alidade and plane table.

An additional watching brief was carried out on the site during one day at the end of March 2010 for drainage trenches for the housing development. Five further small pit or posthole features were identified and excavated during this work.

6.3 Sampling and finds processing

All finds were processed individually and recorded using context, feature and individual finds numbers. Samples were taken of all archaeological deposits and were documented similarly. Post- excavation processing of ecofacts and sediment samples is in progress.

Artefacts have been indexed and are awaiting specialist analysis. Provenance of special finds was recorded on plan drawing and using the EDM to gather position and level data.

7 Results

The excavation revealed a Bronze Age burial site built around and within an earlier stone and post circle monument. Construction of a kerbed cairn appears to have been the final episode of use of the site.

The entire site was excavated ahead of development, which ensured that the site was preserved in record.

Note: The annotation ‘F.’ plus number indicates the archaeological feature number.

‘C.’ plus number indicates the context number.

‘SF’ plus number indicates the find number.

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7.1 Phase 1: The main excavation area

The features on the site pertained mostly to a suite of funerary monuments, including single cist burials, pits containing deposits of cremated remains, a large cist at the centre of a dismantled stone and post circle, and a disturbed cairn built over an elongated stone setting which contained a deposit of cremated remains. There were other features that appear unrelated to the use of the site for burials including the post / stone circle, two hearths, various postholes and ploughmarks.

7.1.1 Old ground surface

The survival of an old ground surface, which encompassed the main burial site and underlied the remains of a kerbed cairn (see section 7.3 below), was extremely useful in determining the stratigraphic relationships between many features. The surface was a compact, dark brown-black gravel which was differentiated contextually with four context numbers across different areas of the site. Context 11 is described as the black surface surrounding the satellite cists and stone / post circle, Context 14 was the black surface within the dismantled stone circle and around the central cist (F.4), Context 49 refers to the old ground surface north of the stone circle and south of the kerbed cairn (F.23) and Context 135 was the black surface north of the kerbed cairn. Context 11 and Context 14 contained fifteen scattered lithics finds.

Overall, the surface contained moderate charcoal content, although Context 49 survived as a thicker deposit with high charcoal content with some peat ash and a cobbled area (Feature 24). During fieldwork, sections excavated through the old ground surface revealed ardmarks surviving below the surface across all areas of the site. The thickness of Context 49 in relation to the rest of the surface could have been due to the fact that the cairn had preserved the context for a longer period of time than the rest of the site.

It is clear that this black surface initially formed during the stone circle phase of the site and that the cists and pits containing cremated remains post-dated the formation of the surface. However, many stratigraphical relationships could not be established. It is hoped that radiocarbon dating will further clarify the relationships between features discussed below.

7.1.2 The cist burials

Four of the cists (F.1, F.2, F.7 and F.17) were situated 5-7 metres from the outside of the dismantled stone circle. The destroyed remnants of a fifth cist (F.12) were located inside one of the stone holes. Cist 3 (F.4), covered by a monumental capstone, was located at the centre of the dismantled stone circle and appears to have been the focus of the cist burial site (see section 7.1.4). A seventh cist (F.34, section 7.2 below) was uncovered over 13m southeast of the circle, well below the level of the main burial site.

Of the seven cists on the site, six of them definitely post-dated the stone circle structure. Three (Cist 1, Cist 5 and Cist 6) cists contained unurned cremated remains (one of which also contained a small amount of degraded, unburnt bone assumed to be human) and three cists (Cist 3, Cist 4 and Cist 7) contained very degraded inhumed remains. One cist (Cist 2) contained no evidence of a burial and could have been constructed as a cenotaph.

Cist 1, Cist 2 and Cist 4, all located to the west side of the dismantled stone circle and within close proximity to one another, contained decorated food vessel pots. Initial typological analysis of the

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pots10 has suggested an early Bronze Age date for the site and recent radiocarbon dating of encrusted residue from the Cist 2 pot11 has confirmed this.

Cist 1 and Cist 2

Cist 1 (F.1) and Cist 2 (F.2) are believed to be contemporary to one another on the basis of their contents, type of construction, and location on the site. Both had remained completely undisturbed at the time of their discovery.

Situated just over two metres apart on the west side of the site, both cists were built on exactly the same north-south alignment within close-fitting cuts. The internal slab construction of both cists is identical: five upright schist slabs built to the same design are supported by recumbent slabs on the surface. The two cists were covered by micaceous schist capstones of similar white-pale green colour. The shallow remains (3-4cm) of a dark brown soil suboval mound (C.17) was slightly visible up to 0.5m wide around the Cist 2 cut and suggests a structural mound of material used to enclose the capstone. Also, the remains of a deposit of compact mid brown schist soil and stone (C.7) were found adjacent to the east side the Cist 1 cut, extending 2m south from the cist. This is believed to be remnants of a cairn or mound of material which may have covered Cist 1.

Cist 1, measuring 1.0m by 0.56m internal dimensions, held cremated remains, a decorated food vessel and one flint tool. The cremated bone overlay organic-rich material and degraded remains of unburnt bone, which could have been either a degraded inhumation or other faunal remains. The food vessel contained a small amount of organic-rich material in the base of the pot. Whilst in situ, the vessel lay on its side at the north corner of the cist, the opening facing southeast.

Plate 1 Cist 1 (left) and Cist 2 (right), contents in situ (North is up)

10 Pers. comm. A. Sheridan 11 1960-1750 cal BC (SUERC) 11 ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

Cist 2, measuring 0.87m by 0.45m internal dimensions, was approximately three-quarters of the size of Cist 1. It yielded no material evidence of a burial and was possibly built as a cenotaph. It contained one intact, decorated food vessel that is about three-quarters of the size of the Cist 1 vessel. Whilst in situ, the vessel lay on its side at the south corner of the cist, the opening facing north.

Cist 3 Cist 3 (F.4) was built in the centre of the ring ditch sometime after the stone circle construction. It could have been inserted during the stone circle phase of the monument or after or during subsequent modification to the stone circle (see section 7.1.4). The cist box, aligned E-W, measured internally 1.06m by 0.60m. It was constructed of two basalt side slabs to the north and south and several schist end slabs to the east and west. Because the south side slab was longer than the north side slab, the south slab was centred on the opposing lengthier slab and the series of schist end slabs with cobble infill made up the difference in length (see Plate 9). Cist 3 was capped by a massive 2-tonne rhomboid-shaped basalt capstone.

The 2-tonne capstone was lifted during excavation using a mechanical tripod and hoist. One of the east side schist end slabs partly collapsed inward over, resulting in ingress of gravel from the construction cut into the cist. It is possible that some of this destructive process had been as a result of the recent movement of heavy machinery on the site.

The burial consisted of an inhumation which had been laid out on a floor of small beach cobbles. The inhumed remains survived as one skull fragments, deposits of dark organic-rich material which had percolated through the cobbled surface and white concretions on stones. It is hoped that specialist analysis will determine if any of the organic material recovered from the cist reflected organic goods placed with the burial. Initial charcoal analysis from the site has shown that the remains of twigs from the Ericales (heather) family were found within the Cist 3 burial deposits. deposit of white coral and shell fragments was recovered from below the black organic-rich gravel at the west end of the cist. Fragments of four black mollusc shells were found within the same deposit. This is assumed to be a burial good.

Finally, a large hammerstone was recovered from a secondary context in the cist. The hammerstone had been used as packing material in the cist construction cut. There were no other observed artefacts or ecofacts recovered from the burial.

Cist 4 Located 6.5 metres southeast of Cist 1, Cist 4 (F.7) was a NW-SE aligned grave within a wide construction cut. It comprised two schist side slabs 1.30m long and two schist end slabs 0.56m long, one of which had partially collapsed inward and allowed for the ingress of gravel into the grave. The overlying capping stones covered some very degraded schist stones which may have been broken in situ. It is uncertain at which point the side slabs collapsed and the gravel fill entered the cist, although it is possible that the disturbance to the overlying capping stones could be related to the movement of extremely heavy machinery across the site during development.

Excavation of the gravel fill from Cist 4 revealed very degraded inhumed remains consisting of one long bone fragment which easily broke into fragments during lifting from the grave. The burial also contained a possible flint tool, a wrist guard fragment and an intact, decorated bipartite food vessel. The food vessel, which lay in the south corner of the cist with its opening facing north, possibly pre- dates Cists 1 and 212.

12 Email correspondence, A. Sheridan, 14-10-09. 12

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Cist 5 Cist 5 (F.12) had been constructed inside a post / stone hole which had formed the eastern terminal of the stone circle structure. The width of the pit had been augmented during the cist construction which had visibly skewed the entrance alignment to the circular ring of pits.

The cist, appeared to have been destroyed prior to excavation. At the time of excavation, all that remained in situ was the east side slab and fragments of other probable side slabs were identified within the redeposited fill. It may have been 0.8m long by 0.70m wide. The pit fill (C.57) contained cremated bone and thirty-five decorated pottery fragments, almost certainly originating from the same ceramic vessel.

Cist 6 A small suboval pit, measuring 0.70m x 0.80m and located 5m to the NE side of the stone and post circle, held a close-fitting cist structure (F.17). It comprised two schist side slabs and one schist end slab with no covering slabs or stones. The side slabs (0.78m in length) were supported upright in shallow cuts and the end slab (0.24m long) filled the space between the north end of the side slabs against the pit cut. The cist had been backfilled with gravel and a deposit of cremated bone (C.60) was uncovered below the fill at the centre of the south end of the cist.

Cist 6 was constructed over a pit (section 7.1.3) containing another deposit of cremated remains (Feature 44).

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Figure 3 Outline site plan of the main burial site

7.1.3 Pits containing cremated remains

Five pits across the site contained unurned deposits of cremated remains. The location of the deposits on the burial site suggests they were inserted into intentionally selected places, in the same way that the satellite cists were strategically located on the site. Lithics were recovered from the base of three of the pits.

One pit (F.5) was uncovered within the centre of the stone and post circle and a second pit (F.26) was located just outside of the circle. Two of the pits (F.14) were found side-by-side 5m to the

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south of the dismantled stone circle and the fifth pit (F.44) was uncovered 3.1m to the northeast of the dismantled stone circle. There was one further deposit of cremated remains on the site that was not placed within a pit or grave structure (Context 18). It had been deposited on top of the capstone of the large cist (Cist 3).

Feature 5 This subcircular pit (0.4m by 0.5m) was located inside of the ring ditch. It contained gravel fill (C.15) mixed with cremated bone which was most heavily concentrated at the base of the pit. One possibly pyred flint tool was found within the fill and a possible bloodstone scraper (SF12) recovered from the base of the pit.

Feature 26 A circular pit measuring 0.5m in diameter, Feature 26 was located immediately outside of the ring ditch, between Feature 11 (stone hole) and Feature 12 (stone hole). The pit contained a deposit of cremated remains (C.90) which was removed intact from the pit during excavation. The shape of the deposit in situ appeared similar to the shape of an upturned pot. Three probably unused, worked flint flakes (SF83) were recovered from the base of the pit underlying the cremated remains. This was a pit where a grave good (the flint flakes) had been intentionally placed below the cremated remains.

Feature 14 Feature 14 comprised two linked pits containing separate deposits of cremated bone. The south pit (0.5m by 0.5m) contained dark brown gravel with cremated bone and charcoal (8cm deep) overlying four small schist slabs. The north pit (0.7m by 0.8m), which cut through the south pit, was 25cm deep and contained gravel fill with cremated remains most intensely deposited at the base of the pit. A pyred fragment of a burnt barbed and tanged arrow point (SF59) was recovered from the cremated remains at the base of the pit.

Context 21, a deposit of cremated remains, was recovered close to Feature 14. It appeared to have been disturbed previously by the mechanical digger during spoil heap clearance. It is believed to have originated from F.14, although it is possible there was another destroyed feature from which it was removed.

Feature 44 Cist 6 (Feature 17) was constructed over this circular pit, which contained cremated remains and high charcoal content.

7.1.4 Three standing stones After the initial discovery of Cist 1 and Cist 2, cleaning-back of the site using drawhoe revealed an arc of three standing stones, Feature 3, within the north side of a ring-shaped ditch.

The ring of interconnected pits (F.15) was later revealed to be a dismantled stone circle comprising former stone holes and post holes. Cist 3 (F.4) was situated at the centre of the structure.

Feature 8 The westernmost schist stone (F.8) had been scraped on the surface by the mechanical digger during the site clearance. This had slightly damaged its appearance although it appeared to have had a rounded edge. The stone was set into an oblong pit packed with silty clay and schist flakes above a bank of stones overlying the primary gravel fill on the west (outside) side of the stone and gravel fill to the east side where the stone fit closely to the cut. Its appearance was slate-like with a visible

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black sheen and it stood 0.30 m above the old ground surface, measuring 1.20m wide by 1.06m long by 0.24m deep.

Feature 9 The central basalt stone (F.9) measured 0.92m wide by 0.65m long by 0.22m deep. It stood 0.30m above the old ground surface, and appeared triangular in shape. The stone was set into a subcircular pit with two packing stone slabs to the south side and numerous medium-sized packing stones to the north side. It appears that the insertion of the stone augmented a pre-existing hole, probably a post hole.

Feature 10 The eastern basalt stone (F.10) measured 0.72m wide by 0.82m wide by 0.44m deep. It had been slightly shifted in its hole during the watching brief by the mechanical digger. The stone was set into a subcircular pit packed with silty clay and schist flakes above a bank of packing stones within gravel fill on both sides of the stone. It stood 0.41m above the old ground surface and appeared square in shape. It had been placed over the base of a posthole.

Figure 4 Section 39 showing Feature 10 in profile (E-facing)

The three standing stones' holed and linking ditch contained a backfill of flaked schist stone and soil. This overlied a compact, sticky clay deposit around the west standing stone (F.8) and east standing stone (F.10). A bank of stone and cobbles had been packed behind the three standing stones and the connecting ditch to link the three stones. The old ground surface which predates the construction of the burial site, had formed below these deposits against the standing stones and revealed the following sequence of restructuring to the stone circle: all but three of the standing stones were removed from the stone circle, the stones were then connected by a shallow ditch, the ditch between the three stones was built up with a bank of large stones and cobbles and packed with clay around two of them, then the ditch was backfilled with a matrix of schisty soil, possibly destroyed schist stones (see Section 7.1.5).

7.1.5 Stone and post circle monuments

“Ring-ditch”: Feature 15 The shallow ditch linking the Feature 3 arc of standing stones also formed a continuous ring connecting thirteen stone and/or post hole pits. The ditch and pits all contained an upper layer of powdery-flakey schist fill.

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The back-filled, ring of pits was the final phase of an earlier structure consisting of two phases: a timber post circle followed by a stone circle. At the end of the stone circle phase, either three standing stones were left in situ or three stones were reinserted into previous stone holes. These three stones were connected by a ‘kerb’ or bank of stones and the pits and ditch backfilled with degraded or destroyed schist stones (C.28). It appeared possible that large fragments of the removed schist stones were used in the ditch infill and that fragments of the basalt stones were reused as packing stones for the three remaining standing stones. It is uncertain whether the insertion of the large cist (F.4) at the centre of the circle occurred before or after this backfilling. It is also uncertain whether the three in situ standing stones remained in place after the stone circle phase of the structure or if they were renewed or resurrected to form the final phase of the structure. However, the evidence of these structural changes to the ring monument are indicative of a lengthy period of use of the site prior to the construction of the Bronze Age cists and the formation of the burial site.

Stone Circle

The ring of pits had formed a stone circle, the construction of which post-dated a timber post circle. Eleven pits (F.8, F.9, F.10, F.11, F.12, F.13, F.16, F.27, F. 29, F.31 and F.32) have been interpreted as stone holes containing basalt or schist stones. Three of these pits still contained standing stones at the time of excavation (Section 7.1.4) and three other pits contained large fragments of stones interpreted at the remains of standing stones broken in situ. Most of the stone holes appeared to be post holes augmented for use by the insertion of an upright stone. The pits contained redeposited mixed layers of old ground surface and gravel fill, deposited in such a way as to show that the removal of the upright stone had disturbed the depositional sequence but caused the mixing of layers in the holes.

Feature 11 This subcircular stone hole pit, 1.25m long by 0.90m wide by 0.40m deep, contained mixed layers of gravel fill (C.98) with large stones. The stone hole was preceded in use by a post hole 0.27m in diameter surviving to 0.12m deep.

Feature 12 A cist was inserted into this subcircular pit 1.55m by 1.60m at the E terminal pit of the stone circle. The pit (F.12) would have contained a standing stone prior to the augmentation of the stone hole and insertion of the cist. The stone hole partially overlay a small post hole (F.45) which is related to a similar post hole (F.21) within the opposing post circle terminal pit.

Feature 13 Feature 13 comprised a stone hole 1.10m long by 0.80m wide to a depth of 0.25m below the upper schist fill (C.28). A fragment of a basalt standing stone was found upright in the base of the fill. The stone hole fill, which consisted of mixed gravel layers (C.67), covered the base of a small post hole (F.21) which may have supported an entrance post on the W terminal pit of the structure. It was opposed by a similar feature (F.45) in the east terminal pit of the structure.

Feature 16 The feature contained a truncated schist standing stone sitting atop another truncated schist fragment within a suboval stone hole 1.0m long by 0.52m wide by 0.70m deep containing mixed layers of gravel (C.89). The lowest schist slab fragment appeared to have fit into a post hole cut. Both fragments of standing stones appear to have been truncated in situ and seems to explain the layer of upper fill (C.28) comprised of schist fragments and flakes. This could support the theory that the stone holes and ditch upper fill originated from the breaking down of other schist standing stone slabs.

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Figure 5 Section drawing 42: Feature 16 in profile (N-facing)

Feature 27 This subcircular pit, 1.30m long by 1.0m wide by 0.60m deep, located within the stone circle structure, was a stone hole containing mixed gravel fill (C.89) with large probable packing stones. The varied layers of gravel in the fill suggested that the deposition of the context was the result of the removal of the upright stone. It appeared to overlie a post hole surviving to 0.17m diameter and 0.07m deep.

Feature 29 The stone hole, 1.10m long by 1.0m wide by 0.45m deep, was filled with a 25cm-deep schist layer overlying the mixed gravels with a small fragment of a basalt stone.

Feature 31 Located between the F.32 stone hole and the south side of ring ditch cut above F.19, the subcircular stone hole pit was filled by the schist ditch fill (C.28) overlying small stones within dark brown- black mixed gravels (C.89). It had been partially truncated by the Feature 19 cut and measured at least 1.0m long with the depth of fill at least 0.37m.

Feature 32 This subcircular stone hole pit measuring 1.30m long by 0.70m wide, was situated between F.31 and F.22, contained the schist fill (C.28) overlying 0.35m of dark brown-black mixed gravel (C.89) fill.

Timber Post Circle

The ring of pits had also formed a timber post circle which predated the stone circle phase of construction. Eight pits (F.9, F.10, F.11, F.12, F.16, F.27, F.28 and F.30) are interpreted as post holes, which formed a timber post monument. Two small postholes flanked either side of the ditch entrance (F. 21 and F.45).

In most cases it was only 10-20cm of the posthole cut which survived at the base of the stone hole cuts. For the posthole cuts which survived well, the fill appeared to be the same red-brown silty gravel underlying the mixed redeposited gravels in the stone hole cuts. So far, only two of the thirteen pits in the ring and pit structure have not been interpreted as both stone and post holes. However, this interpretation is likely to change during more detailed analysis of the site data.

Feature 28 The small size of this pit may suggest it had only been utilised as a post hole. Although it measured 0.95m long by 0.85m on the surface of the cut, it narrowed to 0.35m in diameter by 0.25m deep with the section plan indicating its use as a post hole. The post hole contained the mixed gravels 18 ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

and clay fill C.105 to the base of hole where there is a bowl-shaped slab, which is interpreted as a post pad. However, it is possible that the thin stone slab was the cortex of a latterly-inserted tall and thin standing stone.

A yellow-orange clay deposit adhered to the post hole and it appeared to have been in situ, either from use of the hole as a post hole or a stone hole. A hammerstone, SF90, was found embedded in the clay deposit in the E side of cut and is interpreted as a posthole packing stone.

Feature 30 Feature 30 was a post hole which measured 0.80 long by 0.70m wide at the surface narrowing to 0.30m in diameter at the base of the hole. The section plan of the pit suggests in use exclusively as a post hole. The pit contained a large flat schist slab within the upper schist fill which overlied mixed gravel and stone layer 0.45m deep over the post hole basal deposit although separated by a possible old ground surface layer.

Feature 21 This small post hole measured 0.30m in diameter by 0.20m deep below the stone hole F.13 and contained redeposited gravel fill. It was situated at the south side of the post circle on the west side of the entrance.

Feature 45 This small post hole measured 0.30m in diameter by 0.50m deep below the degraded remains of Cist 5 (F.12) and contained redeposited gravel fill. It was situated at the south side of the post circle on the east side of the entrance.

7.1.6 Burial structure and hearth below the old ground surface

Two structures were uncovered independently of one another at a depth of approximately 0.50m below the old ground surface of the main site. A possible early ground surface was identified around both features and further suggests that the features pertain to an earlier period of use of the site.

Stone-setting and cairn: Feature 19 A partially revetted stone structure covered by a small cairn, the remains of which were uncovered approximately 0.25m below the old ground surface, is interpreted as a collapsed burial chamber. The structure, situated underneath the southwest side of the dismantled stone circle, was located below a suboval cut into the old ground surface of the main burial site.

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Figure 6 Plan 44: Stone setting at the base of Feature 19 (North is up)

The cut of Feature 19, C.37, appeared to be 2.0m wide by 3.6m long and contained mid brown- orange natural gravel upper fill to the northwest side and dark-brown-red silty gravel upper fill across the southeast two-thirds. This was not a construction cut for the underlying cairn, which extended beyond the Feature 19 cut. This cut had truncated 2 metres of the southwest side of the ditch and dismantled stone circle and contained mixed gravel with scattered large stones, which appeared to have been pulled out of the underlying cairn and redeposited in this fill. Interestingly, one large schist slab lay in the side of the cut below the truncated stone circle and may have been a former standing stone.

A cairn of large stones covered three large schist slabs overlying small schist slabs on the floor of a narrow burial setting, 2.10m long by 0.65m wide. A deposit of cremated bone and a worn, possibly pyred flint scraper was recovered from the top of the burial setting. A dark brown-black gravelly silt (C.71), possibly an organic residue, was identified around the base of the setting of the structure. Beyond the burial setting and cairn, and extending beyond the structure, was a layer of dark brown- red sticky silty gravel (C.109) interpreted as an earlier ground surface.

The structure was interpreted cairn containing a log coffin or plank-built chamber with a narrow stone setting at its base.

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Figure 7 Section 49: Feature 19 in profile (SE-facing)

Hearth: Feature 33

Excavation through the basal gravel of Cist 2 (F.2) revealed thin schist slabs underlying the cist's side slabs. Subsequent dismantling of the cist uncovered the remains of a probable hearth or flagged surface which predated Cist 2. The hearth, surviving to approximately 1.50m long by 0.60m wide, was located at 0.60m below the old ground surface of the burial site with an associated early ground surface at 0.64m below the old ground surface.

The schist slabs of the hearth overlay charcoal fragments and a sticky dark brown-red silty gravel deposit that was similar in appearance to the possible early ground surface in Feature 19 (C.109). The location of the hearth below the burial site ground surface is very similar in site level to the Feature 19 burial. This, along with the possible early ground surface associated with both structures, suggests that the two features could be contemporary and could have been built during an earlier phase of occupation of the site.

7.1.7 Pit of unknown use

Feature 18 A circular pit 2.5m in diameter was located west of the three standing stones and ring-ditch. It contained mid brown-orange gravel fill mixed with soil and few scattered stones to a depth of 1.0m. Several small fragments of white and multi-colour glazed stoneware and porcelain pottery fragments were recovered from the fill. The use of the pit is unknown, although the pottery recovered found within the pit fills suggests a modern, probably 20th century, date to the feature.

7.1.8 Features located outside the main burial site

Feature 25 A pit measuring 1.70m long by 1.40m wide was revealed after weeks of weathering on the exposed natural gravel revealed a scatter of charcoal. The feature, situated approximately 18m southeast of the main burial site, comprised a shallow pit lined with small stone slabs approximately 0.30m deep. It contained charcoal rich gravel fill, with particularly large lumps of roundwood charcoal. There is no known relationship between this pit and any of the other features on the site.

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Three postholes: F.35, F.36, F.37 Three possibly contemporary posthole features were uncovered below natural gravels approximately 8m east of Cist 7. The area was revisited after the watching brief to double-check the site for further archaeological remains after the unexpected discovery of Cist 7. If related, the three features form an arc, circling northward towards the main burial site.

Feature 39 Located to the north of the kerbed cairn (F.23), the shallow remains of a posthole, 0.37m in diameter, were uncovered predating the site’s black surface (C.49). The posthole fill, only 7cm deep, was rich with charcoal and also contained some very small burnt bone pieces.

Feature 41 A pit, 1.0m in diameter was uncovered north of the kerbed cairn (F.23) below the black surface. The pit contained redeposited fill comprised of patches of soily gravel and patches of silty charcoal fill around large stones. Its use and significance is unknown.

7.2 Phase 2: Cist 7

Cist 7 (F.34) was not identified during the watching brief or initial site excavation. It was later found under what appeared to be the natural gravel deposits, approximately 13m from the Bronze Age cemetery at NG 63670 03828 by the operator of the mechanical excavator, who safeguarded the grave from further disturbance.

The condition of Cist 7 at the time of excavation was perplexing. The overlying capping slabs were badly degraded and could have originally consisted of one single schist capstone slab. The internal side slabs were also degraded and fragmented and partially collapsed. Recent machinery movement over the site could have contributed to this disturbance. However, the scattered presence of plant roots and soily fill mixed with the upper cist fill suggests there may have been other disturbance previous to the development.

The cist, located over 15 metres south of the dismantled stone circle monument, was situated downslope of the main burial site. Cist 7 was aligned east-west and contained inhumed remains. It was constructed of 4-5 schist and basalt side slabs supported at the surface by smaller slabs and large cobbles.

The degraded human remains underlied redeposited gravel and soil and degraded capstone spall. The skull remains consisted of jawbone fragments and numerous teeth. A small amount of bone fragments from the lower half of a skeleton were also recovered. The position of the bone identified during excavation suggests a flexed burial.

The burial contained five unused flint tools: three barbed and tanged flint arrowheads recovered from around the skull, pointing towards North and two flint knives situated around the lower half of the burial ventral side down. Although the typically Bronze Age flint arrowhead type identifies the cist as early Bronze Age in date, the situation of the cist below the natural gravels and its location at some distance to the main burial site was unexpected.

7.3 Phase 3: North of the standing stones

The presence of a pole linking overhead electricity lines delayed the excavation of the kerbed cairn remains (F.23) and the archaeological remains to the north side of the kerb until late winter. Snow

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and ground frost and modern intrusive cable cuts caused particular challenges during the Phase 3 excavations.

7.3.1 Remains of a kerbed cairn The remains of a kerbed cairn (F.23) were uncovered on the north side of the main burial site. Projection of the cairn’s kerb suggest that it may have originally covered the majority of the burial site, and sealed the old ground surface. The cairn was mostly robbed out and the reason for this is unknown, except that it was at least partially disturbed by the installation of the electricity services.

Excavation revealed an arc of basalt kerb stones around a fill of cairn material, which consisted of large schist slabs overlain by large stones including a high quantity of quartz overlain by small stone fragments and soil. The cairn slabs and kerbstones were built above the old ground surface surrounding the main burial site. This surface (C.49) was distinguished from other areas of the surface by its higher charcoal and peat-ash content.

The electricity pole hole had been bored through the cairn next to the kerb. There were two modern cable trenches cutting through the cairn as well as a much larger cut for an earlier pole hole. This disturbance resulted in the collapsing of many kerb stones, although they did remain largely in situ. In addition to this, the western end of the feature was truncated by approximately 1.5m by mechanical excavator during the archaeological watching brief.

Only in the topsoil overlying the main site and its immediate vicinity was there any amount of loose stone found, which must have come from the disturbed kerbed cairn. However, the relatively low quantity of redeposited stone suggests that much of the cairn material was probably removed for later building construction rather than general disturbance by later agricultural practices.

Interpretation of the arc of kerbstones (length of approximately 9m surviving in situ) shows a circumference covering a large part of the burial site, which would have ensured closure to the burial site.

7.3.2 Evidence of agricultural activity Feature 42 Sections taken through the three surfaces (C.11, C.14 and C.49) revealed ardmarks criss-crossing the entire site—possibly reflecting a ‘preparation of the site’ burial rites or indicating the remains of prehistoric cultivation contemporary with or predating the burial site.

Feature 40 Excavation of the black surface to the north of the kerbed cairn revealed a linear ‘V’-shaped ditch feature surrounded by smaller ardmarks (F.42). One end of the ditch (F.40) terminated with a deeper cut containing charcoal and intense peat ash. It is interpreted as a boundary demarcation or drainage line.

7.4 Final watching brief

Five postholes or pits, F.46, F.47, F.48, F.49 and F.50, were uncovered in March 2010 during a further watching brief for a service trench.

F.47 and F.48 were circular pits or postholes similar in size (approx. 40cm diameter) to a depth of 10cm, whilst F.46 was larger (45cm x 37cm) but similar in depth. These three pits contained intense ash and charcoal remains. F.49, a posthole 50cm in diameter was 26cm in depth and 23

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contained soil and packing stones. F.50 was irregular in shape (overall 66cm x 30cm, 29cm deep) and contained high charcoal content.

All five of the features were located within close proximity to one another. It seems possible that these could represent an area of pyre remains, although there is no proof for this. Radiocarbon dating of one feature may dismiss this possibility.

8 Summary of archaeological finds

The bulk of the assemblage of materials recovered from the excavation was formed by cremated bone found in various contexts around the site. The majority of the small finds from the site were lithics recovered throughout the old ground surface and within burial contexts. The three food vessels and fragments of another ceramic vessel and the five finely-made flint tools were recovered from five individual cists.

8.1 Cremated bone

Three cist graves, the cairn and burial structure, four pits and two deposits contained significant quantities of cremated human remains. It is not assumed that each deposit reflects a single individual or a single act of burial. Specialist analysis of the bone will determine the minimum number of individuals (MNI) reflected in each of the deposits.

8.1.1 Feature 1: Cist 1 This grave (F.1) contained, by far, the greatest quantity of cremated remains. It had also remained completely undisturbed prior to its discovery and, as a result, the deposits of cremated bone were uncontaminated with surrounding gravel fills. The bone was excavated from the cist in grid squares and collected in bags with large and small bone separated per grid.

Underlying the deposit of cremated bone was a deposit of sticky reddish-brown organic material (C.8) to which some of the fragments of bone adhered. As a small amount of very degraded unburnt bone was recovered from within the cremated bone in Cist 1 (see 8.2.1), it is possible that this deposit was the remains of an inhumation or of animal offering, partially preserved in this case because of the cremated bone piled on top of it. Elsewhere on the site, it was seen that the condition of inhumed remains was very poor and in each of the cases the burials had been disturbed by ingress of gravels. So it is a possibility that the Cist 1 grave could have had endured two acts of burial, the second of which was the deposition of cremated remains over an inhumation. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that specialist analysis will be able to confirm whether or not the unburnt was human or animal (i.e., a grave offering) due to the incredibly poor state of preservation of the bone.

8.1.2 Feature 12: Cist 5 Cist 5 appeared to have been mostly destroyed in antiquity. It contained cremated bone, recovered from the mixed redeposited gravel fill. There was no evidence of unburnt bone or other organic material in the grave.

8.1.3 Feature 17: Cist 6 Cist 6 contained a deposit of cremated remains (C.63). The cist had been backfilled with gravel after deposition of the main cremated remains (C.51, C.60). The deposit of cremated remains from

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Cist 6 overlay a pit (F.44) containing an initial layer of ashy charcoal rich fill over a deposit of cremated bone (see 8.1.5).

8.1.4 Feature 19: Cairn and burial structure A deposit of cremated remains was placed on top of the central base slabs of the stone setting within this grave.

8.1.5 Other features containing cremated remains Feature 5, Feature 26 and Feature 44 contained deposits of cremated remains in pits, interpreted as having occurred during a single event.

Within the fill of both pits from Feature 5 and Feature 44, there were scattered cremated bone deposits found from the upper fill (possibly caused by bioturbation) whilst the main deposit of cremated remains were located at the base of the pit. The upper fill of Feature 5 was mostly gravel whilst in Feature 44 the pit contained an upper fill of ashy charcoal rich gravel over a deposit of cremated bone.

Feature 26, however, was block-excavated from the pit as the material remained amazingly intact during excavation and appeared, interestingly, in a urn-shaped form.

Feature 14, a double pit feature, contained two individual deposits of cremated bone. It had been partially truncated by mechanical excavator during spoil heap clearance in the early stages of fieldwork. Context 21, chunks of a gravelly deposit containing cremated bone was found in close proximity to Feature 14, although loose from the ground, having been disturbed by the digger during spoil heap removal. This supports the idea that the material was dislodged from the Feature 14 pits.

Feature 6 consisted of a shallow deposit of cremated remains (C.18) found overlying the Cist 3 capstone. As well, Feature 11, a stone hole within the stone circle ditch, contained a scatter of cremated bone fragments within the upper fill (C.25).

8.2 Unburnt bone and teeth

Four cists contained inhumation burials. In all cases, the preservation was very poor given the type of subsoil, and the unburnt bone was seriously degraded. In all but one cist there had been ingress of gravel fill within the graves.

8.2.1 Cist 1

Within the cremated bone, the remains of degraded unburnt bone was identified. The quantity of very rich organic material underlying the deposits in Cist 1 suggests that there may have been an inhumation burial placed below the cremated remains. It is, however, possible that the unburnt bone represents a ‘grave good’ deposit such as an animal joint and that other organic materials were placed the burial.

8.2.2 Cist 3 Cist 3 (F.3), located at the centre of the stone and post circle monument, contained inhumed remains and organic residues. The bone consisted of a fragment of skull recovered from below a layer of natural gravel which had filled the cist prior to discovery.

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8.2.3 Cist 4 Cist 4 (F.7), located south of Cist 1, had also been disturbed. It was completely filled with gravel. This cist held degraded inhumed remains, in a ‘mushy Digestive biscuit’ state. Whilst in situ, the remains appeared as a singled human long bone at the centre of the grave, to the north of the food vessel location.

8.2.4 Cist 7 Cist 7 (F.34) contained degraded inhumed remains. The side slabs of the cist had degraded badly and may have been subject to more modern disturbance. There had been no visible evidence of the cist during the watching brief. It was discovered by a driver in a mechanical excavator during levelling the gravel to the south of the main burial site. Skull and jaw fragments were recovered along with numerous teeth. A very small amount of lower body bone was also recovered, possibly from the pelvic region of the body. It appears as though this was a crouched inhumation.

Stable isotope analysis of the teeth from Cist 7 will aid in the greatest possible understanding about the origin and diet of the individual from the burial. The high status grave goods, five flint tools, suggest that this was a person of high importance in the community.

Only one other site from Isle of Skye, the Iron Age site at High Pasture Cave, has produced isotope analysis from human or animal teeth13. It is therefore particularly important to undertake stable isotope analysis on the Cist 7 teeth.

8.3 Ceramics Three fully intact, decorated ceramic food vessels were found inside three of the satellite cists. Fragments from at least one other ceramic vessel were recovered from Cist 5, located within one of the terminals of the stone / post circle. This ceramic vessel was probably in antiquity destroyed during intentional disturbance to the grave.

8.3.1 Feature 1: Cist 1 SF 10 Cist 1 contained a decorated food vessel with double carinated body suggested to date to c.2000-1900 BC14. It was recovered from north end of the cist, lying on its side on the cist floor. The decorations are described as quill- and chevron-like incisions along the rim, neck and body, and circular cord/ twine and dot impressions around the rim and shoulder and linearly along the length of the body. There are visible cracks on the body and rim of the pot and initial analysis suggests that these weaknesses were as a result of poor firing15 and would further support the interpretation of the primary use of the pot as domestic food vessels and the secondary use as a grave deposit.

The food vessel contained an organic residue (C.2) which will be subjected to specialist analysis.

8.3.2 Feature 2: Cist 2

13 Montgomery, J., Evans, J. and Chenery, C., 2007. 14 Pers. comm. B. Ballin-Smith, 9-09. 15 Pers. comm. B. Ballin-Smith, 9-09. 26

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SF 11 Cist 2 contained a decorated food vessel with double carinated body, also suggested to date to 2000-1900 BC16. However, encrusted residue of the pot has since been dated to ____ The pot was recovered from the south end of the cist, lying on its side on the cist floor. The decorations on the food vessel appear as chevron-like incisions all over and on the rim of the body. There are visible cracks on the body and rim of the pot and initial analysis suggests that these weaknesses were as a result of poor firing17 and would further support the interpretation of the primary use of the pot as domestic food vessels and the secondary use as a grave deposit.

8.3.3 Feature 7: Cist 4 SF 50 Cist 4 contained a decorated bipartite food vessel with a suggested date of 2100-2000BC18. It was recovered from southeast end of Cist 4, lying on its side on the cist floor and most filled by and covered in the gravel fill which later disturbed the grave. The decorations on the food vessel consist of circular cord / twine impressions around the rim and shoulder and base of the vessel and linearly along the body of the vessel. Dot impressions encircle the neck shoulder, body and base of the vessel.

The visible cracks on the body and rim of the pot identified during an initial analysis suggests that these weaknesses were as a result of poor firing19 and would further support the interpretation of the primary use of the pot as domestic food vessels and the secondary use as a grave deposit.

8.3.4 Feature 12: Cist 5 SF 24-27, SF 29-33, SF 35-49 The degraded remains of Cist 5 contained fragments from a fourth decorated ceramic vessel recovered from redeposited fill (C.57) of the disturbed grave. Initial analysis20 suggests that the pot could be quite different from the previous three food vessels. The decoration on the fragments appear as fine geometric (square and zigzag) and symmetrical impressions.

8.4 Lithics

With the exception of the central and largest cist on the burial site, Cist 3 (F.4), and the smallest cist, Cist 6, and its underlying pit, all of the burial features on the site which had contained human remains also yielded flint or bloodstone lithic tools.

Lithics tools and debitage, including one possible microlith, were also recovered from various redeposited contexts and the old ground surface. The varied type and condition of the lithics and the variety of raw materials in the assemblage seems to indicate a prolonged occupancy up until its use as a burial site. The heavily rolled condition of a large part of these finds suggests this type of wear could have occurred during the maximum marine transgression which was a result of the melting of the Late Devensian ice sheet. This evidence indicates that the earliest phase of occupation on the site was during the Scottish Mesolithic period, when the types of local raw lithics materials utilised were extremely varied21.

16 Pers. comm. B. Ballin-Smith, 9-09.. 17 Pers. comm. B. Ballin-Smith, 9-09. 18 Email A. Sheridan, 14-10-09. 19 Pers. comm. B. Ballin-Smith, 9-09. 20 Email A. Sheridan, 14-10-09. 21 Saville, A. Mesolithic Scotland and its Neighbours, 2004: 185. 27

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8.4.1 Feature 34: Cist 7 Set of five flint tools Three flint arrowheads and two flint knives were recovered from discrete positions below the inhumed remains from Cist 7.

SF 106 A barbed and tanged flint (white / pale grey) arrow head was recovered alongside the remains of the skull in this burial. The tip of the arrow was pointing north.

SF 107 A barbed and tanged flint (grey) arrow point was recovered alongside the remains of the skull in this burial. The tip of the arrow was pointing north.

SF 108 A flint (grey) knife with serrated all-around edge, possibly plano-convex was recovered from below the degraded remains of possible lower limbs of an inhumation. It was deposited ventral side down.

SF 109 A flint (grey) knife with serrated all-around edge, possibly plano-convex was recovered from below the degraded remains of possible lower limbs of an inhumation. It was deposited ventral side down.

SF 110 A barbed and tanged flint (white / pale grey) arrow point was recovered alongside the remains of the skull in this burial. The tip of the arrow was pointing north.

8.4.2 Feature 1: Cist 1 SF 3 A worked flint (white) tool, possible scraper, was recovered from base of deposit of cremated remains inside the cist.

8.4.3 Feature 7: Cist 4 SF 85 A worked flint (white) blade was recovered from the upper fill of cist construction cut in Cist 4.

8.4.4 Feature 12: Cist 5 SF 93 A bloodstone (white and pale green) knife/scraper was recovered from the lower fill of the disturbed cist.

8.4.5 Feature 19: Cairn and grave SF 65 A flint (white) scraper was recovered from base of cremated remains deposited over base of stone chamber setting. The tool appears to have been burnt.

8.4.6 Feature 14: Pit containing cremated remains

SF 59 The tang of barbed and tanged flint (brown-grey) arrow point was recovered from within cremated remains in pit. The tool appears to have been burnt.

8.4.7 Feature 5: Pit containing cremated remains SF 12 A worked bloodstone (white/purple) flake, possibly a scraper or blade, was recovered from base of cremated remains in pit.

8.4.8 Feature 26: Pit containing cremated remains 28

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SF 83 Three worked flint (brown) flakes were recovered from base of a deposit of cremated remains in a pit.

8.4.9 Old ground surface Context 11 SF 13 A flint (white) blade/knife was recovered during clean-back of burial site surface (C.11).

Context 14 SF 7 A flint (dark grey) blade/knife was recovered during clean-back of black surface (C.14) inside of the stone and post circle feature.

8.4.10 Other lithics

The remaining lithics finds make up the bulk of the artefact assemblage from the burial site. These were found scattered widely across surfaces of the site and within all of the various contexts and features.

8.5 Other stone objects

8.5.1 Hammerstones

Feature 28: Post Hole SF 90 A hammerstone with one worked end and possible residue on one end was recovered from a secondary context within packing stone fill at base of F.28 post hole within C.105.

Feature 4: Cist 3 SF 95 A hammerstone with one worked end was recovered in a secondary context, within the Cist 3 construction cut, in the fill between the eastern side slabs.

8.5.2 Wrist guard

Feature 7: Cist 4 SF 28 A soft stone (possibly steatite) object interpreted as a wrist guard fragment was recovered from the lower fill (C.56) of Cist 4. It had one perforated end showing end wear suggesting use as decorative pendant.

8.6 Shell Cist 3 contained two deposits of shell, interpreted as grave good deposits. Feature 4: Cist 3 Sample 104 The material appears to be mollusc shells recovered from below the inhumed remains.

Sample 94 The material appears to be either fragments of shell or coral, recovered from below the inhumed remains.

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9 Discussion

Although modern eyes view the west coast of Scotland as lying on the periphery of communication routes, this raised, shingle beach site on Sleat Peninsula could have been centrally located to other seafaring communities22, particularly from around the Inner Hebrides via the Minch and Knoydart Peninsula, Loch Hourn and Loch Nevis via the Sound of Sleat. There is evidence for use of the Armadale site through a great depth of time, from the Mesolithic through to the Bronze Age and possibly later. The Bronze Age cemetery was situated to the south of a Neolithic chambered cairn, and it is probable that the timber and stone circle phases were late Neolithic in origin. Thus, the periods of restructuring on this site seem to echo a Scottish Bronze Age funerary tradition of altering Neolithic monuments to reflect a more dedicated focus on individual graves23.

9.1 Earliest occupation

The scattered rolled and worked bloodstone and flint lithics recovered from across the site indicates that the earliest site occupation occurred during the Mesolithic period. Although the amount of early lithics recovered was not extraordinary, their presence does suggest potential occupation of this site during the Mesolithic. Evidence for Mesolithic occupation is being investigated on Aird of Sleat at Camas Daraich.

9.2 Possible features pre-dating the burial site

The relative date of Feature 19 was not established during excavation due to what is believed to be disturbance of the feature during antiquity. The top of the cairn, which was uncovered at the base of a cut through the burial site ground surface (C.10), would have been located at least 0.25m below Context 10. The base of the cairn was situated at approximately 0.75m below Context 10. Feature 33, located 0.55m below the ground surface, certainly predated the construction of Cist 2.

The theory is that Feature 33 is contemporary with Feature 19 based on the occurrence of two similar context changes (C.109 and C.110) at the base of each structure. The contexts have been interpreted as earlier ground surfaces that predated the formation of the burial site.

Feature 19 appeared to have been a small cairn built on a possible earlier ground surface. The cairn may have covered a chamber built over a partially revetted stone setting at its base. A dark brown- black gravelly silt (C.71), may be an organic residue, was identified around this base setting. One possibility is that the deposit is a stain left behind by a wooden coffin or a plank-built chamber which had degraded away completely and caused the collapse of the overlying cairn.

There are indications that Feature 19 had been disturbed in antiquity. The excavators located the remains of the structure through a cut into the burial site ground surface. This cut had truncated a stone hole within the stone circle and dislodged the Feature 19 cairn material from its original location. The scattered remains of the cairn were found throughout the cut fill and included one large schist slab, which may actually have been a standing stone from the truncated stone hole. A deposit of cremated remains and a worn flint scraper were overlying the structure's base stone setting and it is possible that their insertion may not have been a primary burial, but rather a secondary insertion and the reason for the disturbance of the structure.

Given the parallels of the Armadale stone circle to Temple Wood, the excavation of two burials at Upper Largie by AOC Archaeology in 2005 could present a parallel to Feature 19. At Upper

22 Noble, G. Neolithic Scotland: 28. 23 Noble: 221-2. 30

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Largie, one small cairn covered a grave pit that had probably contained an inhumation in a wooden coffin, which had degraded and caused the collapse of the overlying material. The grave, dating to the early Bronze Age, was surrounded by a ring ditch 5.5m in diameter, and the pots associated bear distinct traits of those on the Continent24.

Sections excavated through Feature 19 showed how the possible earlier ground surface (C.109) extended beyond the base of the cairn and below the base of the stone setting. As well, excavation of the hearth slabs, Feature 33, uncovered a dark brown-black sticky silty gravel deposit (C.110), a possible earlier ground surface similar to Context 109. If these contexts do represent an earlier ground surface, one intriguing possibility is that they are associated with an earlier phase of occupation on the site on a much lower ground surface.

Dating the features should clarify the possibility of an earlier phase of occupation, which could be supported by the presence of scattered rolled flint and bloodstone finds redeposited throughout the site contexts.

9.3 Timber and stone circle phases

The restructuring of post and stone circles and the re-use of an earlier site on which to construct a Bronze Age cemetery is not unique and there are certainly parallels, such as Machrie Moor, Isle of Arran, and Temple Wood, Kilmartin, Argyll. Both sites had distinct phases of re-use and re- building of timber circles into stone circle monuments, as well as Bronze Age insertion of burials. At Machrie Moor, Stone Circle 1 and Stone Circle 11, were both built on the site of previous timber circles and both contained later burial insertions. Ardmarks were also associated with the Machrie Moor circles25. At Temple Wood North, a timber circle predated a stone circle, dating to before 3000 BC, at the centre of which was a standing stone26. It is a distinct possibility that the construction of Cist 3 within the centre of the stone circle at Armadale had been an insertion into a dismantled stone hole, although no evidence for this was uncovered during excavation.

Sheridan discusses the idea of focusing ceremonial practice in an open-air site rather than within passage tombs and within close proximity to pre-existing funerary monuments indicating ancestral veneration, rather than representing a paradigm shift27. The Armadale timber and post circle was situated to the south of a chambered cairn and could be a reflection of this practice.

9.4 Dismantling of the stone circle

At the time of the excavation, only three stones (Feature 8, Feature 9 and Feature 10) remained upright within the stone circle, which had previously comprised 12-13 upright stones. A shallow ring ditch (Feature 15) linked this arc of standing stones with the former stone/post holes. It appeared that the final closure phase to the stone circle had been the construction of this ditch in order to backfill it and the stone holes with a flakey schisty fill (C.28), which may have been the remains of destroyed or degraded former standing stones.

Previous to the ditch backfilling, the three remaining stones had been connected by a bank of stones forming a kerb-like appearance to the arc. It also appeared possible that large fragments of the schist and basalt former standing stones were reused in the formation of the 'kerb'. Other fragments from dismantled standing stones were left in situ inside three of the stone holes.

24 Cook and Sheridan, M and A. International prehistoric contacts at Kilmartin. Archaeology Scotland, Iss 1, Summer 2008: 4. 25 Haggarty, A. Machrie Moor, Arran: recent excavations at two stone circles. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 121 (1991): 51-94. 26 Canmore #39504 27 Sheridan, A. Going round in circles? Understanding the Irish Grooved Ware ‘complex’ in its wider context (32-33). 31

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It is very likely that some of the removed standing stones were re-used to construct Cist 3 at the centre of the circle, although the timing of this in relation to the other phases of restructuring is unclear. It is also uncertain whether the three in situ standing stones remained in place after the stone circle phase of the structure or if they were renewed or resurrected to form the final phase of the structure. Analysis of the excavation results should further clarify the phasing.

The restructuring and re-use of the Armadale stone circle bears some similarities to Temple Wood. At Temple Wood South, two cist burials covered by small cairns were inserted about 2000 BC around a stone circle. Flint arrowheads and a Beaker pot were recovered from one of the cists. The stone circle was later filled with interval slabs between the standing stones, and an outer ring cairn ring was later built to form a bank around the stone circle. Even later, two central cists were built inside the stone circle and covered with a cairn into which a secondary cremation was inserted28.

Another possible parallel to Armadale is at Cairnpapple, where, around 2000BC, the stones from a stone circle were removed and reused to build an individual cairn29. In the same way, at Armadale, perhaps two basalt stones were removed from the stone circle to construct the central cist (Cist 3). This could explain the construction of the cist, with two parallel side slabs of differing lengths, made up with a series of schist end slabs. We know that basalt was readily available from the volcanic dykes on site, so that the actual re-use of standing stones could have been more symbolic than sourcing new stones of equal length.

The excavators also propose that other former standing stones from the circle were used elsewhere on the site. In particular, two intriguing large basalt stones, measuring 1.0m by 0.88m and 1.15m by 0.62m, were recovered from the topsoil overlying the burial site during the watching brief. Perhaps the stones had been re-used elsewhere, although previously removed, and had marked other features on the site possibly even Cist 1 and Cist 2. One such parallel would be at Kensalyre, on Skye, where a smaller 15-ft long cairn is located 100 yards SE of the larger cairn 66ft by 40ft and 7ft high. The smaller cairn covered a short cist and appeared to have been marked by a standing stone 2.5ft distant30. Similarly, at Loch Treslane, on Skye, a cist is marked by a standing stone31. This is one intriguing explanation for the two residual basalt stones recovered from the topsoil above the Bronze Age burial site at Armadale. On the other hand, the residual stones might also offer some explanation for Feature 18 and Feature 19 and allow the author to re-interpret both features during the final analysis of results.

9.5 Bronze Age cist and cremation pit cemetery

Although excavation at the Bronze Age cemetery revealed a few features that have not yet been associated with burial practice, there were also no areas associated with domestic activity and no domestic debris was recovered from the site. It appears that this site, where a stone circle once stood, was venerated as a site of antiquity and selectively re-structured into a cemetery. Certainly, the placement of the cists and pits on the burial site involved deliberate selection of location and this is best seen in Cist 5 (F.12), which had been inserted into a former stone hole of the stone circle, and in Cist 3 (F.4), built at the centre of the stone circle. Overall, the placement of six cists and five pits at distinct locations around the former stone circle identifies the monument as a focal point for the cemetery. It is no new phenomenon for Bronze Age burials to make use of earlier monuments, as has been previously discussed. This is particularly common on the sites of Neolithic chambered cairns, and two such sites on Isle of Skye are located close-by: Liveras cairn in

28 Noble: 222. 29 Armit, I. Celtic Scotland, p. 18-19. 30 NMRS #NG45SW14 31 NMRS #NG35SE11 32

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Broadford32 and Kilmarie cairn in Strath33. Although, the poor state of preservation of the gravels and the disturbed state of some of the graves caused problems with the interpretation of the burials, further analysis of their contents along with radiocarbon dating will assist in understanding the burial practices at this Bronze Age cemetery.

9.5.1 Cist and pit construction

The seven cists varied in size, shape, contents and placement/alignment and these differences could imply different phases of construction. However, as Sheridan points out, Bronze Age funerary practices do vary contemporaneously between inhumation and cremation, and burials of both types do occur together34.

Evidence recovered during excavation suggests that N-S aligned Cist 1 and Cist 2 may have been covered or partially covered by small cairns or barrows. Initial interpretation suggested that the faint rings of mounded material around Cist 1 and Cist 2 was a residue of material surrounding just the base of the capstones, both bright, micaceous schist stones, which had been intentionally left as visible grave markers. The residual stones around Cist 4, also aligned northerly, could also have been the remains of a small cairn, which could provide an explanation for the degraded state of the capping stone(s). Cist 5 was almost completely destroyed and Cist 6 had no capstone and comprised only three side slabs.

Cist 3 (F.4), an inhumation burial aligned E-W at the centre of the former stone circle, was possibly the focal point of the cemetery, whilst Cist 7 (F.34), an inhumation burial aligned E-W, was located at a separate location some 15m from the main burial site. Possibly it was placed apart from the rest of the cemetery to distinguish it from the others in the same way Cist 3 had been placed centrally within the stone circle.

Four of the five pit graves were all of similar size and shape and all five evidentially contained only cremated remains, although there were varying levels of presumed pyre debris within the fill. Closer examination of the fills within the pits containing cremated remains could provide greater insight into the manner of their deposition. Furthermore, there were other scattered features located during the watching brief and excavation which, after further analysis, may suggest a relationship between the burial site and the cremation process.

9.5.2 Grave goods

Lithics were found in association with all of the Bronze Age cist or pit graves, the exception being Cist 6, and these finds are either assumed to be residual materials or pyre goods35 with the exception of Feature 28, where three unused flint flakes had been placed in a pit prior to deposition of the cremated remains.

Cist 1 (F.1) and Cist 2 (F.2) contained decorated food vessel pots of a similar shape. The two cists may date similarly to Cist 4 (F.7), which also contained a decorated food vessel. The Cist 5 (F.12) ceramic sherds bear designs unique to the three food vessels and this suggests it was an altogether different type of vessel. At the same time, a steatite wrist guard fragment, likely used as a pendant, was buried with the food vessel in Cist 4 (F.7) and in Cist 7 three barbed and tanged arrowheads along with two knives (one plano-convex) were recovered but without a pot as one might expect.

32 NMRS# NG62SW1 Skye, Liveras 33 NMRS# NG51NE15 Kilmarie, Skye 34 Sheridan, A. Scottish Food Vessel Chronology Revisited: 260. 35 McKinley, J. Bronze Age Barrows and Funerary Rites and Rituals of Cremation. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 63 (1997), 130. 33

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Also interestingly, Cist 3, the focal grave on the site, contained no inorganic grave goods. The author wonders if the surprising differences between cist contents could suggest that this cemetery was special in the sense that it shows an amalgamation of funerary traditions.

It is also a possibility that certain grave goods may have been ancestral items and could associate the graves to earlier phases of use. The wrist guard fragment bears use-wear around the top of the perforation suggesting it was worn as a pendant, and could suggest it had been an item safe-guarded over generations. The wear on the food vessels from Cist 1 and Cist 2 could be the result of poor firing or of long-term use. In reference to Woodward, objects were sometimes “already old, incomplete or damaged” at the time of their deposition in early B.A. graves-and this association was known only to those who buried them36.

Analysis of the variety of and distribution of grave goods within the cists will assist in better understanding the burial practices and chronology of the cemetery. In particular, Sheridan has discussed how further analysis and dating of Scottish food vessels will inform the overall understanding of the diversity of contemporary early Bronze Age funerary practices37.

The variety of cists with cremated remains or inhumed remains alongside pits with cremated remains from the Armadale cemetery not surprisingly bears similarities to other contemporary cist cemeteries in Scotland. The Bronze Age cemetery at Seafield West, Inverness is one such regional example where cist and pit graves containing inhumed and cremated remains, a food vessel and barbed and tanged arrowhead were located on a gravel ridge with residual Mesolithic flints in the site contexts38. There are many Bronze Age burial sites to which the Armadale site will be compared and this further analysis will undoubtedly highlight significant relationships and connections.

9.6 Kerbed cairn remains

The kerbed cairn (Feature 23) appeared to have been the final phase of construction on the site. It is probably unwise to project a diameter on to the kerb to propose an area that the cairn had covered, as this assumes that the cairn was circular—and there are several things worth discussing about this.

The fill of the cairn, which had been disturbed on at least three occasions by electricity cable trenches, comprised small and large beach cobbles and quartz stones overlying degraded large schist slabs, whilst the remains of the kerb comprised only basalt stones apart from one schist stone. Possibly more importantly, the black surface underlying the cairn and the area between the three standing stones and the cairn remains, was thicker than the rest of the burial site ground surface. It was likely well-preserved by the cairn material that remained in situ and does suggest that an area of cairn material had been disturbed during the watching brief.

It should also be noted that the topsoil on the development site contained very minimal amounts of stone, except adjacent to the west and south sides of the kerbed cairn remains. Here, the topsoil yielded much more stone. It was after completion of the watching brief, which unfortunately had occurred rather unsystematically due to the live overhead power lines directly above the stone circle and cairn, that it became apparent that the mechanical digger had truncated part of the cairn in this area between the north side of the three standing stones and the south side of the kerbed cairn remains. Interestingly, though, no kerbstones were noted in the topsoil.

36 From sickles to circles, Healy and Harding, ref to Woodward, p.176. 37 Sheridan, A. Scottish Food Vessel Chronology Revisited. 38 Cressey and Sheridan, M and A. The excavation of a Bronze Age cemetery at Seafield West, near Inverness, Highland. 34

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The above information is relevant as it may suggest either that the cairn had been robbed in antiquity or that it was originally not much larger than it was at the time of discovery.

One possibility is that the cairn was built as a bank of stone to arc around the three standing stones. Perhaps it had formed a sort of forecourt or platform arcing to highlight the north side of the three in situ standing stones. At Temple Wood North, the interior of the stone circle was later covered by a layer of stones-a possible closure event to the monument-and a possible parallel to the Armadale kerbed cairn.

Further analysis of the excavation results and comparative analysis with other sites may offer further explanation. It is quite clear that the kerbed cairn post-dated the formation of the old ground surface and had extended beyond where its remains were uncovered at the time of excavation.

10 Conclusion

The excavation at the Pier Road, Armadale burial site was a unique opportunity to gather the entire body of archaeological evidence from a prehistoric burial site in Skye. At present, the only confirmed date for the site is the early Bronze Age, based on the three food vessel pots recovered from three of the cists. However, the body of evidence recovered from the excavations shows the strong likelihood that the site spans other periods in prehistory, possibly later (Iron Age or later) and very likely earlier-the Neolithic period and maybe even the Mesolithic period. The site has already generated much interest within the archaeological research community and post-excavation analysis of the excavation results and assemblage will provide more answers to the points discussed above.

11 Cleaning and conservation

The three complete food vessel pots and fragments from a fourth ceramic vessel must be cleaned and conserved for interpretation and presentation. This will include reconstruction of the fragments of the fourth vessel.

Specific artefacts, mainly lithics and ceramics, will be recorded in detailed drawings and these will be advised by the relevant specialists.

12 Scottish Treasure Trove reporting

Scottish Treasure Trove has been contacted about the assemblage and will be accountable for the eventual deposition of the artefacts with Treasure Trove.

13 Publication, education and presentation

13.1 Publication Summary articles have been presented and published in Current Archaeology magazine and Past Horizons online journal. An initial entry was submitted to Discovery and Excavation in Scotland (DES) in late 2009 with a second entry in 2010. Articles summarising the site have been provided to UBC Group Ltd and Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association (LSHA) websites and to the LSHA summer 2010 newsletter. It is hoped that final reporting of the site will be submitted to the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for publication.

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13.2 Education and presentation

Excavation of the site has already presented opportunities for wider community involvement, education and presentation.

In particular, two of the site archaeologists are working with the local community’s newly founded archaeology society Arc-eolas Shleite, who have a specific aim of reconstructing the burial site.

A talk about the site was presented to local primary school children at Bun sgoil Shleite in March 2010 and a second talk was given to the Sleat community in late April 2010.

During Spring 2010, BBC Alba produced a programme called Finding Archaeology which aired a 30-minute feature about the burial site and a short radio broadcast about the site was produced on Radio Scotland. More recently a talk was presented at the 2010 Highland Archaeology Conference in Inverness and to the Portree Historical Society in November 2010.

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References

Andrefsky, William. Lithics: Macroscopic approaches to analysis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 1998.

Armit, Ian. The Archaeology of Skye and the Western Isles. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh: 1996.

Armit, Ian. Celtic Scotland. Historic Scotland/BT Batsford, London: 2005.

Ballin-Smith, Beverly. Personal communication, 6-9-09.

Cressey, Michael and Sheridan, Alison. The excavation of a Bronze Age cemetery at Seafield West, near Inverness, Highland. Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 133 (2003), 47-84.

Gibson, Alex and Sheridan, Alison. From Sickles to Circles. Tempus, Port Stroud: 2004.

Gillen, Con. Geology and landscapes of Scotland. 2002.

Highland Council Archaeology Unit (HCAU). Mixed-use development at Pier Road, Armadale, Isle of Skye, SL-06-142.

Haggarty, Alison. Machrie Moor, Arran: recent excavations at two stone circles. Proc Soc Antiq Scot 121 (1991): 51-94.

McKinley, Jacqueline. “Bronze Age ‘Barrows’ and Funerary Rites and Rituals of Cremation.” Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, Vol 63, 1997: 129-145.

Montgomery, Janet., Evans, Janet. and Chenery, C. Combined lead, strontium and oxygen isotope analysis of the female adult from High Pasture Cave, Isle of Skye. University of Bradford, July 2007.

National Library of Scotland, accessed at Http://www.nls.uk.

Noble, Gordon. Neolithic Scotland. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh: 2006.

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), accessed at Http://www.rcahms.gov.uk.

Saville, Alan. Mesolithic Scotland and its Neighbours. Society of Antiquaries, Edinburgh: 2004.

The Scottish Government. Scottish Planning Policy 2010.

Sheridan, Alison. Going Round in Circles? Understanding the Irish Grooved Ware 'complex' in its wider context, 2009.

Sheridan, Alison. Personal email communication, 14-10-09.

Thrinefal, Sine. Personal email communication, 23-12-10.

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Plate 2 The main burial site

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Plate 3 Cist 3 (F.4) inhumed remains in situ

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Plate 4 Cist 3 skull remains on cobbled floor

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Plate 5 Cist 4 (F.7) inhumed remains in situ

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Plate 6 Decorated pot sherd from Cist 5 (Feature 12)

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Plate 7 Cist 7 (F.34) inhumed remains in situ

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Plate 8 Cist 7 skull remains and teeth in situ

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Plate 9 Five flint tools from Cist 7 (Feature 34)

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Plate 10 Wrist guard fragment and decorated food vessel from Cist 4 (Feature 7)

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Plate 11 Dismantled stone / post circle

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N

Plate 12 Feature 19 cairn and burial structure

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N

Figure 8 Plan 26: Cist 3 (F.4)

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Appendix 1 Index of Features

Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm)

Aligned N-S, internal construction consisted of 5 upright slabs supported by seven smaller recumbent slabs on the surface, which had been covered by a micaceous schist capstone (145cm x 92cm); Natural gravel floor; Cremated remains overlying inhumed Internal: 1-9, 39, 1-4, 1 Cist 1 (B.A.) remains lay on the cist floor, most heavily 100 x 58 40 10, 89 concentrated on the S half of the cist; a flint tool was recovered from below the remains; An intact food vessel lay on its side on the N corner of the cist floor, mouth facing S

Aligned N-S, situated approx. 2m S of Cist 1; identical construction to Cist 1: internal construction consisted of 5 upright slabs supported by five smaller 10, 17, Internal: 87 11, 66, 2 Cist 2 (B.A.) recumbent slabs on the surface, which had been 31, 78, x 45 72 covered by a micaceous schist capstone (122cm x 79 88cm); Natural gravel floor; An intact food vessel lay on the south end of the cist floor, mouth facing N

Arc of three Three standing stones in situ forming arc N of Cist 3; standing stones comprised of Features 8-10; the arc of stones were 3 - 44 - (part of Feature linked by what appeared to be a deliberate building- 15) up of stones above the stone hole cuts

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Aligned E-W, situated at the centre of ring monument; interior construction consisted of 2 massive basalt slabs on N&S sides and series of small schist slabs supported by cobble fill to E&W sides; 12-14, covered by massive basalt capstone 220cm x 128cm; 32, 80- Internal: 95, 98, 4 Cist 3 burial consisted of very degraded inhumed remains- 85, 87, 107 x 60 99 small skull fragments, white cottage-cheese like 92, 93, material, and black sticky organic remains- overlying 106, 108 small cobbled floor; burial also contained coral / shell material; hammerstone recovered from cist construction material Pit containing cremated remains mixed with gravel 12, fill-cremated bone and ash heavily concentrated 50 x 40, 18 5 Pit 15, 16 121, towards base of pit; situated E of Cist 3 (F.4) inside deep 122 ring ditch cut (26)

Deposit of Clump of cremated remains found overlying Cist 3 6 - 18 - cremated remains capstone, possibly covered by degraded stone

Situated 6.5m SE of Cist 1, Cist 4 was aligned NW-SE, constructed of 4 schist slabs, one of which was slumped inward; naturally flooded by gravel from behind the slabs, no intact capstone probably due to 15, 23, 19, 20, degradation of the schist; Burial consisted of 130 x 56, 28, 34, 7 Cist 4 54, 56, severely degraded inhumed remains (one soft long 60 deep 50, 85, 58, 61 bone fragment) covered by gravel fill; a flint tool and 101 a wrist guard fragment were found within the fill; A decorated food vessel lay in the south corner of the cist, mouth facing north

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Black slate-like schist standing stone 120cm wide x Standing stone 106cm long x 24cm thick; stood 30cm above the Stone hole: and stone hole, surface within oblong stone hole packed with silty 88, 89, 8 120 x 84, - part of Feature 3 clay overlying medium packing stones and gravelly silt 91 70 deep and Feature 15 to the W side of the stone and gravelly silt fill to the E side of the stone

Triangular (in situ appearance) standing stone 92cm Standing stone wide x 65cm long x 22cm thick; stood 30cm above the and stone / post surface with subcircular stone hole with two packing 110 x 57, 9 hole, part of 89, 98 20 stone slabs to S and numerous medium sized packing 34 deep Feature 3 and stones to N amongst gravelly silt fill; appears to have Feature 15 augmented pre-existing post hole

Square standing stone, 72cm wide x 82cm long x Standing stone 44cm thick; stood 41cm above the surface within and stone / post subcircular stone hole packed with silty clay overlying 80 x 65, 50 88, 89, 10 hole part of - lightly packed medium sized stones amongst silty deep 99 Feature 3 and gravel fill both sides of stone; remains of a post hole Feature 15 underlies the stone hole Stone hole: Subcircular pit with gravel and large stone fill 125 x 90, Stone hole, containing some small burnt bone fragments; similar 40 deep; possibly predated 24, 25, 11 in size to F.12; shape and packing stone contents post hole: 80, 81 by post hole, 89 suggests stone hole, E-W section showed basal 27 within Feature 15 remains of an earlier post hole diameter, 12 deep

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Subcircular cut containing remains of disturbed cist which had cut through the E terminal end of ring 24-27, ditch, NE of the entrance; the E cist slab was still in Cist 5 and stone / 29-33, situ filled by large stone and mixed gravel and 70? X 30, 22, 23, 12 post hole within 35-49, cremated bone deposits; this partly overlay an earlier 20? deep 57, 59 Feature 15 51, 93, small post hole cut filled by C.59 (F.45); it is likely that 94 the cist construction augmented a pre-existing stone hole Subcircular pit with large stone fill, S ring ditch end: fill 110 x 80, Stone hole within overlies stone hole which contained a truncated 28, 29, 13 25 deep 58 Feature 15 basalt standing stone; partially overlies small post 30, 67 below C.28 hole F.21 at ditch end Two connecting cuts, orientated roughly N-S; the S shallow cut (52) lined with small schist slabs and filled with gravel and cremated bone fragments; N deep cut S cut -50 x Double pit feature 21?, 33, (33) constructed and filled after S cut-contained 50, 8 deep; 14 containing 34, 52, 53, 59 mixed gravel and cremated bone fill with most heavy N cut-70 x cremated remains 53 concentration of ash, charcoal and bone at the base 80, 26 deep and bottom half of pyred barbed and tanged arrow head Entire ring ditch as first uncovered encircling Cist 3; contained an arc of 3 in situ standing stones and an upper fill (C.28) comprised of mid brown gravelly silt and small schist fragments; excavation revealed that Dismantled stone the ring ditch incurred multiple phases of use and Internal: 26, 28, 15 circle restructuring, to include timber and stone circle 61m x 65m 42, 69 phases; entrance to SSE flanked by two small post holes (F.21 and F.45) spaced 80cm apart; cut to the W side contained F.19 and N end of ditch cut by later cist insertion (F.12) 53

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Truncated schist standing stone sitting atop another truncated schist fragment within suboval stone hole; the lowermost schist slab fragment may have reused a post hole; the standing stone had been truncated in antiquity-the upper layer of fill overlying the feature Stone/post hole, 100 x 52, 43, 89, 16 was the same C.28 seen throughout the ring ditch; - part of Feature 15 70 deep 107 this schisty fill (C.28) suggests that it derived from the breaking down of other schist standing stone slabs; post hole deposits show a mixing of silty gravel deposits (as in other stone holes) possibly due to transitioning of the use of the holes Cut: 80 x A subcircular pit located in the NE corner of site, 60;Cist revealed a small cist constructed of three schist side interior: 78 slabs; this contained mixed gravel and cremated 50, 51, 17 Cist 6 long x 40 54, 55 bone; the pit and cist were constructed over an 60, 63 tapering to earlier pit (F.44) containing cremated remains and 28 wide, 15 high charcoal content deep 250 56, 57, Modern circular pit probably contained a pole for 18 Pit diameter x 35, 36 60-62, telephone / electricity services, NW of ring ditch 100 deep 64 Suboval pit cut through stone circle west side; upper fills of mixed gravel deposits overlay a small stone cairn overlying slabbed burial chamber containing 52, 63, 37, 38, cremated remains in one half and worn flint scraper; 65, Cairn and burial 64, 65, 19 there are indications that it was later disturbed: the 384 x 268 100, structure 68, 71, mixing of the upper layers which contain large stones 102- 72, 109 probably from the cairn, several large schist slabs lay 104 on the side of the cut as though pulled out of the structure and the upper cut truncation of ring ditch 54

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Curvilinear shallow cut extending S from F.5: narrow 120 x 20 20 Unknown pit ditch connects wider shallow pit; there were no wide to 42 - - changes in fill (C.15) and no cremated remains within wide 30 diameter, Small post hole underlying stone hole F.13; situated at 20 deep 21 Post hole - end of S ring ditch end SW of entrance from base of stone hole F.13 Section of ditch Circular pit: Located between F.13 and F.32, this section of the Feature 15 24 26, 28, 22 ditch contained a small, shallow circular pit containing - containing shallow diameter, 89 dark brown gravelly soil fill circular pit 7.5 deep Remains of a kerb cairn located 4m N of the ring monument; the remains included 1 schist and 12 basalt kerb stones enclosing cairn material: small cobble and gravelly soil upper fill overlying large schist Kerbed cairn, Approx. slabs sitting on burial site surface (C.48); a pole for 45, 46, constructed after 900 x 400, 111- 23 overhead electricity lines had been cut through the 131-134, the cists and ring arcing from 114 centre of the feature in addition to three other cuts 136-138 ditch E to W for services and therefore had been subject to modern disturbance; a projected circumference of the features shows it covered a large part of the B.A. burial site including the ring monument Compact surface consisting of small rounded and 1-2m angular cobbles set within charcoal-rich dark brown- 24 Cobbled surface spread 48 black gravelly silt fill; 1-2m spread of the surface arcs beyond F.3 from W to NNE around standing stone arc (F.3)

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) A suboval slab-lined pit, situated approx. 18m SE of the edge of the burial site; still covered by natural Pit: 170 x gravel deposits during site clearance-appeared after 140, hearth 74, 75, 25 Slab-lined hearth clearance when weathering and movement on site - 160 x 100; 86 revealed charcoal fragments through the gravel; filled 30 deep by dark brown-black sticky silty gravel with high charcoal content, two large branch fragments Deposit of cremated remains just outside SSE side of ring ditch, between Features 11 and 12; during excavation, the deposit remained intact and was able Pit, containing Pit: 50 26 to be removed from the pit as a whole unit, the shape 73, 90 83, 84 cremated remains diameter of which resembles an urn or other vessel; the sharp flint flakes recovered from base of pit directly underlying deposit Stone hole: 130 x 100, Subcircular stone hole located between F.11 and F.16; 60 deep; the stone hole contained large stones within the same Stone/post hole Post hole: 76, 77, 27 dark brown-black silty gravel C.89 seen throughout 86, 87 part of Feature 15 17 89, 94 the other stone holes; very shallow remains of a post diameter, 7 hole underlay the stone hole deep below stone hole Post hole situated between F.8 and F.9; it appears Upper half: that the original post hole was augmented for ditch 110 x 84, Post hole, part of restructuring: upper deposits C. 28 (ditch fill) and C.89 30 deep; 88, 89, 90, 91, 28 Feature 3 / (dark brown-black silty gravel) contained large and Post hole: 97, 105 96, 97 Feature 15 medium stones, concentrated to the north half the 35 feature as seen in F.8, F.9 and F.10; post hole located diameter, in bottom half of pit 25 deep

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Stone hole between F10 and F.16; Small base Stone hole, part of fragment of probable basalt standing stone within 100 x 110, 28, 89, 29 92 Feature 15 mixed redeposited silty gravels in base of hole below 45 deep 100, 101 ditch fill C.28 Hole cut: 70 x 80; Post hole situated S of F. 8 and N of F.19 cut; Fill base of consists of small-medium stone within mixed gravel post hole deposits below ditch fill C.28; it is possible that the 30 Post hole, part of 89, 95, 30 post hole had been augmented and was part of a later diameter; - Feature 15 96, 102 stone hole truncated by the cut above F.19-this 45 deep indicated by the mixed gravel fill within most of the below base hole of uppermost fill C.28

100 wide x Truncated stone hole between F.32 and S side of ring Stone hole, part of 50? 31 ditch cut above F.19; filled by ditch fill C.28 overlying 89, 103 - Feature 15 (truncated), small stones within dark brown-black silty soil C.89 37? deep

130 x 70, Stone hole, part of Stone hole situated between F.31 and F.22; Filled by 28, 89, 32 35 deep - Feature 15 C.28 overlying dark brown-black silty gravel C.89 104 below C.28 Thin schist slabbed hearth surface, which had been cut through during Cist 2 construction; uncovered Spread 150 Hearth, predating during removal of Cist 2 slabs; thoroughly covered by x 60 (to 33 110, 111 - Cist 2 natural gravels, but the remains of a grey-black silty edge of Cist (ashy?) gravel surrounded the slabs, from which some 2 cut) charcoal was recovered

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm)

Site landscaping by mechanical digger uncovered seventh cist-not visible during site clearance-covered entirely by natural gravel deposits; the cist had suffered disturbance over time although the contents remained in situ though heavily degraded; cist constructed with 4-5 schist and basalt side slabs 105 x 50, (fragmented at time of excavation) supported at the 35-40 deep 105- 34 Cist 7 112-124 surface by smaller schist / basalt slabs and large from top of 110 rounded stones; appeared to have been covered by side slabs schist capping slab(s?); the burial consisted of inhumed remains: skull and possible pelvic (?) material in a flexed? position; 3 flint arrow points were recovered around the skull and 2 flint knives recovered from the possible pelvic area

Subcircular pit or post hole ENE of Cist 7, uncovered by digger during further clearance IVO Cist 7; filled by 85 x 75, 38 35 Pit or post hole 125, 128 - dark brown gravelly soil with medium-sized stones deep (probable packing stones

Subcircular post hole filled by dark brown gravelly 46 x 36, 23 36 Post hole soil-similar to F. 37; situated NE of F.35; uncovered by 126, 129 - deep digger during further clearance IVO Cist 7

Subcircular post hole filled by dark brown gravelly 47 x 36, 32 37 Post hole soil-similar to F. 36; situated NE of F.36; uncovered by 127, 130 - deep digger during further clearance IVO Cist 7

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Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Schist slab-non Excavation showed it to be a non-feature although 38 - 135 - feature probably originating from another feature 37 Shallow pit or posthole, ashy silt charcoal-rich fill; 39 Posthole or pit diameter, 7 139, 140 - situated approx. 2.8m N of kerb cairn deep

Sinuous ditch or ploughmark, charcoal throughout; 540 long, Linear ploughmark feature N end section revealed 'V'-shaped pit 52cm 40 10-30 wide; 143, 144 - or ditch wide with intense peat ash inclusions; situated 32 deep amongst ardmarks N of kerb cairn

Circular stone-filled pit with high charcoal content; Fill consisted of medium stones (some schist, some 100 41 Stone-filled pit rounded) within mid brown gravelly soil fill and mixed 141, 142 - diameter pockets of charcoal and ash; situated N of kerb cairn; situated 6.6m N of kerb cairn

Linear, criss-crossing ardmarks underlying black 42 Ardmarks surface throughout burial site; cut through underlying - 146 - natural gravel Main electricity cable trench, which cut through kerb 43 Modern trench 110 wide - cairn F.23 Subcircular pit underlying Cist 6 (F.17) containing dark 66 x 50, 12 44 Pit brown-black ashy gravel and intense charcoal 50, 70 - deep overlying cremated bone 30 Remains of small posthole underlying F.12/Cist 5; diameter, 45 Post hole located opposite ring monument entrance to similar 23, 59 - 50 deep post hole F.21 from Cist 5 59

ARM09 Data Structure Report 2011-04/ARM09

Dimensions No. Interpretation Description Contexts Finds (cm) Further site clearance require 3/10 for service trenches, revealing five features containing significant quantities of charcoal 44 x 37, 16 46 Pit or post hole Shallow subcircular pit containing charcoal-rich gravel 147, 148 - fill deep Shallow subcircular pit containing charcoal-rich gravel 42 x 33, 12 47 Pit or post hole 149, 150 - fill deep 40 48 Pit or post hole Shallow circular pit containing charcoal-rich gravel fill diameter, 151, 152 - 13 deep Probable post hole containing small packing stones 50 49 Post hole and gravel fill with few charcoal fragments diameter, 153, 154 - 26 deep Two connected subcircular shallow pits containing 34 x 30 and 50 Pit small stone and charcoal-rich gravel fill 32 x 30, 19 155, 156 - deep

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Appendix 2 Index of Contexts

Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by 1 Structure Cist 1 side slabs and capstone 10 - Cist Feature 1

Remains of organic Reddish-black organic material 2 Deposit 95 material from food Feature 1 inside food vessel, Cist 1 vessel (SF10)

Shingle/gravel overlying Cist 1 3 Deposit upper/recumbent slabs and 1 4 14 Feature 1 construction cut Bulk of cremated remains from 1-13, 4 Deposit 5,8 1, 2 Cremated bone Feature 1 Cist 1 21, 22 Human or animal 5 Deposit Uncremated bone from Cist 1 8 4 28, 29 Feature 1 bone? 6 Deposit Basal gravel deposit of Cist 1 9 27 Gravel Feature 1 Remains of Compact mid brown soil and mounded ring of stones with yellow degraded schist 7 Structure 11 55 - material around Feature 1 stone fragments encircling top of Cist 1--possibly Cist 1 cairn residue Dark brown-red sticky cramp-like Ashy/organic 8 Deposit material and some bone fragments 9 4, 5 3 23-26 remains of Cist 1 Feature 1 underlying cremated bone in Cist 1 burial Cist gravel floor Base of cremated bone deposit - with residue from 9 Deposit bone remains and gravel from 6 8 15-20 Feature 1 burial and small base of Cist 1 bone frags

10 Deposit Basal gravel deposit of Cist 2 11 30 Cist 2 floor-natural Feature 2

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by 6, 13, 39, 40, Black surface encircling main part 11 Deposit 55 14, 16- 41, 70, Old ground surface of the site 22, 77 78, Construction cut for Cist 3, Feature 12 Cut 13 - Cist 3, F.4 cut Feature 4 4 Redeposited shingle/gravel, fill of Construction cut 13 Deposit 55 12 105-107 Feature 4 (12) backfill Black compact gravel surface 31, 33, inside ring ditch cut by (12)/Cist 3; 5, 7, 8, Same as surface 14 Deposit 55 48, 69, Like Context 11 cremated bone and charcoal 78, 79 C.11 91, 138 scatters within it Cremated remains mixed with 12, gravel from F.5 pit within ring Deposit of 15 Deposit 55 16 121, 32, 83 Feature 5 ditch; base of deposit richer and cremated remains 122 ashier Subcircular cut for pit to deposit 16 Cut 15 - Cut for pit Feature 5 cremated remains

Structural ring- shaped mound Shallow remains of earthen mound 17 Structure 11 55 66 73 encircling Cist 2 or Feature 2 encircling Cist 2 remains of mound covering Cist 2

Cremation deposit overlying F4 capstone; bone and gravel and 18 Deposit 34 Cremated bone Feature 6 degraded stone, flint pebble within fill Cut around possible stone hole or 19 Cut 54 55 20 - Cist 4 Feature 7 cist S of F1

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by

Upper layer of fill overlying Cist 4--soil Mid brown clayey gravel soil over 20 Deposit 54, 56 19 15 - over degraded Feature 7 large degraded schist slabs capstone schist slabs

Cremation deposit, not in situ, 35, 36, 21 Deposit 55 Cremation deposit - disturbed by digger, S of F7 37 Ovoid cut around F12, possible cist 22 Cut 55 22 - Cist 5 Feature 12 similar to 19; W of F11

Upper fill covering Mid brown gravelly soil with some probable remains of 23 Deposit cremated bone and charcoal and 59 55 22 51 Feature 12 Cist 5 side/capstone large stones/slabs slabs and mixed fill

Circular cut around F11, stone hole 24 Cut 25 - Stone hole Feature 11 Adjacent to 26, E of F12

Mid brown gravely soil with large 80, 81, 25 Deposit 89 28 24 76 Fill of stone hole Feature 11 stones 86

Cut for ditch connecting ring of Ring of pits and 26 Structure - Feature 15 dismantled stone holes ditch 27 Schist slab Schist slab overlying C.11, S of F1 Non-feature

28 Deposit Fill of ditch various 55 26 9 38 Ditch rubble fill Feature 15

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Circular cut around F13, stone Stone hole-post 29 Cut 55 - Feature 13 hole- W of F 12 hole

Mid brown gravelly soil and large Ditch end stone 30 Deposit 67 55 29 56 Feature 13 stone fill of Cut 29 hole

31 Structure Cist 2 slabs - Cist 2 slabs Feature 2 32 Structure Cist 3 slabs 14 - Cist 3 slabs Feature 4

Subcircular cut for pit containing Pit for deposit of 33 Cut 55 34 - Feature 14 cremated remains C.34 cremated remains

Dark brown silty gravel and cremated remains from pit (33)- 45, 47, Deposit of 34 Deposit 55 33 59 Feature 14 animal teeth found within this 55, 62 cremated remains material 35 Cut Circular cut with natural gravel fill 55 36 - Cut for pit Feature 18 56, 57, 36 Deposit Mid brown-orange clean gravel 55 35 44 Fill of pit Feature 18 60-63

Subcircular cut with natural gravel Cut overlying cairn 37 Cut 55 38 Feature 19 fill and four large stone in upper fill burial structure

Mid brown-orange clean gravel Redeposited with four large stones in upper fill, natural gravel, and 38 Deposit 55 37 Feature 19 possibly coming for F.19 at base of disturbed stone feature from F.19 39 Cut Construction cut for Cist 1 11 40 Construction cut Feature 1 Redeposited fill in cut-natural gravel 40 Deposit Grey silty gravel 39 Feature 1 and black surface mix

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Compact, orange-brown sandy 41 Deposit 11 42 Natural Feature 1 shingle Coarse, deep red sandy gravel 42 Deposit 43 28 Redeposited fill Feature 15 below upper ring ditch fill

Fill around standing Redeposited, mixed natural and 43 Deposit 95 42 stone, F.16-same as Feature 16 overlying gravel in ditch basal layer C.89

Packing stones fill Mid brown silty soil around large 44 Deposit 28 around standing Feature 9 packing stones stone Large stones and slabs possibly set 45 Structure into dark red-brown very compact 46 kerbed cairn Feature 23 deposit Dark orangey-brown gravelly silt with some charcoal flecking; very 46 Deposit 45 kerbed cairn Feature 23 compact and solid, underlying large stones Grey-black gravel deposit E side of Like Context 47 Deposit 28 dismantled stone circle 11/14 Cobbled surface partially encircling standing stones and ring ditch to 48 Structure NW; very compact dark brown 43 Surface cobbled surface with some peat ash and charcoal Rich, black silty surface with large amounts of charcoal and peat ash; 49 Deposit N of standing stones and raised 72, 74 Old ground surface above them, probably extended northward

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Feature 17, 50 Cut Cut for Cist 6 construction 51 Cist construction pit Feature 44 Upper fill of cut 50, mid brown- grey clayey silt with scattered Cremation deposit 51 Deposit 60, 63 55 50 57, 59 Feature 17 cremated bone and charcoal-initial pit fill in pit cut

Double cut feature 52 Cut Cut adjacent to Cut 33 55 53 of cremation Feature 14 deposit

Dark brown gritty gravel and Deposit of 53 Deposit cremated bone, overlying schist 52 46, 54 Feature 14 cremated remains slab Fill in cut 19 around 54 Deposit Orange-brown gravelly silt in Cist 4 20 19 Feature 7 Cist 4 Redeposited mid-brown silt with 55 Deposit Overlying site fill med-large stones Cist 4 fill-mid brown silt with small 56 Deposit 20 23 52, 116 Feature 7 grit Compact mid-brown gravelly silt 24-27, containing cremated remains 29-33, Mixed redeposited 57 Deposit (animal teeth found within this 23 35-49, 50 fill-cremated Feature 12 material) in cist construction Cut 51, 93, remains 22 94 Basal deposit in Cist 4, natural 58 Deposit 56 61 Gravel Feature 7 gravel Redeposited dk brown 'dirty' 59 Deposit 23 33 51 Redeposited gravel Feature 12 gravel fill

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by

Fill of (50) below initial pit fill 51: Cist 6 construction 60 Deposit 51 50 60 Feature 17 mid brown-grey silty gravel cut fill

Clean, natural gravel partly Natural ingress of 61 Deposit underlying vessel, south corner of 58 56 Feature 7 gravel, Cist 4 Cist 4 Natural or-br gravel under deposit 62 Deposit 14 63 Natural Same as C.41 14, inside ring-ditch Cist 6 contents: mid brown-grey 53, 58, 63 Deposit ashy gravel with cremated bone 70 51 Cist 6 fill Feature 17 63, 64 and charcoal Cairn stone and stone slabbed 64 Structure 65 Burial structure Feature 19 structures Dirty' mid-dk br silty gravel, under Homogenous fill 65 Deposit first layer of fill in (37), overlying 64 38/68 Feature 19 over the structure boulders Material deposited Compact mound of clay material at 66 Deposit 36 64 at time of pole Feature 18 base of feature 18 erection Dk br silty gravel-redeposited 67 Deposit mixed gravel layers during hole re- 30 98 Redeposited fill Feature 13 use Intrusive deposit Redeposited fine red-br silty gravel into fill of (37)-due 68 Deposit 65 38/55 Feature 19 w/ some large stone inclusions to pole hole redepositing? Ring ditch fill- 69 Deposit Rich dk br ditch fill 38 exposed in Feature Feature 15 19 excavation

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by

Cremation deposit, underlying Cist Cremation deposit 70 Deposit 63 65-68 Feature 44 6 below Cist 6

Organic material Dk br-black gravelly silt around 71 Deposit 64 65 75, 112 from grave Feature 19 cremation structure?

Cremation from 72 Deposit Cremation deposit 71 64 71 Feature 19 sub-ground grave

Cremation deposit found adjacent 73 Deposit 28 90 83, 84 77 Cremated remains Feature 26 to Feature 12 Construction cut for Feature 25, 74 Cut 75 Construction cut Feature 25 hearth Fill overlying hearth, abundant 75 Deposit 74 79-82 Hearth Feature 25 charcoal and gravel 76 Cut Stone/ post hole cut 77 Stone/ post hole Feature 27 Mixed, redeposited gravel layers 77 Deposit 94 28 76 87 89 Redeposited fill Feature 27 with small packing stones 78 Cut Construction cut for Cist 2 - Construction cut Feature 2 79 Deposit Fill of (78), dk br silty gravel - Fill Feature 2

Remains of inhumation or Very rich organic material in W 84, 85, 80 Deposit 32 other organic Feature 4 corner of Cist 3 87, 88 material deposited with burial in Cist 3

Ingressed gravel Ingressed gravel from around 81 Deposit 82 due to cist Feature 4 structure of Cist 3 deterioration

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by 1st layer of in situ gravel in Cist 3- Med gravel, white 82 Deposit 84 81 86 Feature 4 white residue on this residue Gravel underlying the Early ingressed 83 Deposit 32 Feature 4 degraded/fallen cist slab [32] gravel 82, 80, 84 Deposit Large cobbles on floor of Cist 3 Cobbled floor Feature 4 87

W/in Cist 3 cut fill- 85 Deposit Clump of dk brown silty gravel 13 part of surface 14 Feature 4 w/in cut fill

86 Structure Slabs lining hearth pit, fire-cracked 75 74 Hearth Feature 25 Organic material / bone from Organic/inhumation 87 Deposit 83 92 Feature 4 around skull fragment in Cist 3 remains Mid br sticky gravelly clay and Feature 8, 10, 88 Deposit 28, 89 90 Inside st. Stone fill some schist 28 91, 97, Original upper layer Feature 98, 99, 97, 101, 89 Deposit Dk br gravelly silt 28/88 of fill in the stone 8,9,10,11, 28, 103, 102 holes 29, 30, 31,32 104

Cut for pit containing cremated Pit containing 90 Cut 73 83, 84 77 Feature 26 remains from F.26 cremated remains

91 Cut Original cut for st. Stone #1 89 Feature 8 cut Feature 8

Organic material- Black sticky organic silt, under leached thru 92 Deposit 93 84 93, 99 Feature 4 cobbles in Cist 3 cobbles or another substance?

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Coral/shell and white sticky, wet 93 Deposit 92 94, 104 Grave good? Feature 4 residue in Cist 3 Fill, base of probable post hole; dk Basal deposit in 94 Deposit 77 90 Feature 27 br-or sticky gravel post hole Fill at base of post hole, under 95 Deposit 96 91, 102 Same as above Feature 30 gravel fill

Mixed natural gravel and black Redeposited fill 96 Deposit 95 89 Feature 30 surface 14/11-redeposited fill after stone removal

Cut around stone hole between 28, 97 Cut Post/stone hole cut Feature 28 Feature 8 and 9 89 Constr cut for triang. st. Stone, no 28, 98 Cut Stone hole cut Feature 9 clear cut on N side 89 28, 99 Cut Constr cut for sq. st. Stone Stone hole cut Feature 10 89 28, 100 Cut Const cut for Feature 29 Feature 29 101 Mixed redeposit in stone/post Redeposited 101 Deposit holes- dk br silt and natural gravel 28 100 material like 28- Feature 29 layers with 14/85 28, Constr cut for stone/post holes N 102 Cut 95, Constr cut Feature 30 of grave 96 Constr cut around stone hole S of 28, 103 Cut Constr cut Feature 31 grave 89 Constr cut for stone hole S of 28, 104 Cut Constr cut Feature 32 Feature 31 89 Redeposited mixed fill of Feature 105 Deposit 28 97 97 96, 100 Same as C.89 Feature 28 28

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Basal gravel of Cist 3 around 106 Deposit 92 98 103 Feature 4 context 93 107 Cut Constr cut for st. Stone #4 Feature 16

Natural fill behind 108 Deposit Mid br soily silt w/ fine gravel 108 Feature 4 slabs, Cist 3

Sticky, dk br-red organic-like 109, Early surface 109 Deposit material around grave, overlies 113, Feature 19 material? sand, like context 71 114 110, Black silty gravel at centre of slabs 110 Deposit 111, Old ground surface? Feature 33 in Feature 33 115 Schist slabs forming possible 111 Structure Hearth slabs Feature 33 hearth 112 Structure Cist 7 construction slabs 121 Cist Feature 34 113 Cut Cist 7 construction cut Cut Feature 34 Fill of Cut 113-orange-brown silty 114 Deposit 113 Redeposited fill Feature 34 gravel 115 Cut Cut for pit NE of Cist 7 Unknown? Feature 34 Overlying east side Dk brown silty gravel, containing 116 Deposit 112 of Cist 7 fill- Feature 34 what looks like bracken disturbance? 117 Deposit Fine gravel surrounding Cist 7 cut Cist floor Feature 34 Deposit in Fill of Cut 115-dk brown loose silty 118 Deposit 115 disturbed area, Feature 34 gravel same as 116

Black sticky organic material 117, Cist 7 inhumation 119 Deposit 114/116 Feature 34 overlying deposit around skull 120 remains

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by Mid-dk red-brown drier organic- 108, like material with schisty fill; 119, Degraded inhum. 120 Deposit 123 119 109, Feature 34 underlies / surrounds skull and 123 Remains in Cist 7 110 underlies schist slabs Red-br silty gravel inside Cist 7, like 106. First gravel fill 121 Deposit 112 118 Feature 34 114 107 inside Cist 7

124, Degraded inhumed 122 Bone/Teeth Skull and bone inside Cist 7 112 Feature 34 136 remains

123 Deposit Mid brown silty gravel under skull 124 120 122 Inside Cist 7 Feature 34 Dk brown-black sticky silty gravel 124 Deposit 123 121 Inside Cist 7 Feature 34 inside cist Dk brown-black gravelly soil w/ 125 Deposit 128 Posthole fill Feature 35 stones 126 Deposit Dark brown gravelly soil 129 Posthole fill Feature 36 127 Deposit Dark brown gravelly soil 130 Posthole fill Feature 37 128 Cut Cut for posthole, Feature 35 125 Posthole Feature 35 129 Cut Cut for posthole, Feature 36 126 Posthole Feature 36 130 Cut Cut for posthole, Feature 37 127 Posthole Feature 37 Transitional fill 131 Deposit Mid brown gravelly soily silt 45/132 around cairn Feature 23 material Slightly compact light-mid brown Primary fill over 132 Deposit 45 131 Feature 23 soily silt cairn Dark brown-black surface outside Surface, same as 133 Deposit 134 115 Feature 23 of cairn kerb 49? Primary fill over 134 Deposit Light brown compact soily silt 133 131? 137 Feature 23 black surface 133

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by

135 Deposit Dark br-black silty gravel, like 116 Natural Old ground surface Feature 38

136 Cut Modern cut for electricity cables 137 Modern service cut thru Feature 23

Redeposited soil, fill 137 Deposit Mid brown shingle/soil mix 136 thru Feature 23 of trench 138 Cut Electricity pole hole cut Cuts through 137 thru Feature 23 Cut for pit, shallow but charcoal- Pit or base of 139 Cut 140 Feature 39 rich, N side of F23 posthole Black-dk brown soil, with high 125, 140 Deposit charcoal content, some small 133 139 Fill of pit/posthole Feature 39 126 burnt bone frags Cut for <1m wide pit with large 141 Cut 142 Unknown pit Feature 41 (packing?) stones Mid brown silty soil with scattered 128, 142 Deposit 141 Redeposited fill Feature 41 areas of heavy charcoal content 129 Cut for sinuous ploughmark or 143 Cut 144 Agricultural ditch Feature 40 small ditch feature Mid brown silty gravelly soil w/ 144 Deposit 143 127 Ditch fill Feature 40 charcoal frags throughout Peat ash fill at N end of F40 145 Deposit Fill of ditch Feature 40 (deeper than rest of feature) Soily silt-ploughed soil fill of 146 Deposit 133 Various Ardmarks Feature 42 ardmarks underlying black surface Subcircular cut (60x60cm) for small 147 Cut pit located in septic outfall trench 148 Pit Feature 46 along shoreline

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Filled No. Type Description Over Under Fill of Finds Samples Interpretation Notes by

Basal remains of pit Black-dark brown gravelly soil with 130, 148 Deposit 157 147 showing signs of Feature 46 significant charcoal content 134 burning Subcircular cut (40x30cm) for small 149 Cut pit located in septic outfall trench 150 Pit Feature 47 along shoreline Basal remains of Black gravelly ashy soil with high 131, posthole with 150 Deposit 157 149 Feature 47 charcoal content 135 remains of burnt post Subcircular cut (35x35cm) for small 151 Cut pit located in septic outfall trench 152 Pit Feature 48 along shoreline Black gravelly ashy soil with high Basal remains of 152 Deposit 157 151 132 Feature 48 charcoal content posthole

Subcircular cut (50x45cm) for 153 Cut posthole located in septic outfall 154 Pit Feature 49 trench along shoreline Dark brown gravelly silt containing 154 Deposit 157 153 Posthole Feature 49 medium-sized stones for packing Irregular shaped cut (65x30), like 155 Cut 156 Unknown Feature 50 two side-by-side pits Dark brown-black soily gravel fill Pit associated with 156 Deposit 157 155 133 Feature 50 with significant charcoal content F. 47, 48 148, The change in 150, Grey-brown change in gravel along gravel was 157 Deposit 152, 55 Unknown shoreline, overlying Features 46-50 parallel to 154, trench 156

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Appendix 3 Index of Finds

No. Type Description Context Feature 1 Stone Degraded quartz fragment, with a visible residue; Grid 4 4 1 2 Tooth Tooth from Cremation, Grid 5 4 1 3 Lithic Worked flint flake base of cremation 8 1 4 Stone Possible polished stone, burnishing? 3 1 5 Lithic Worked flint flake 14 6 Lithic Worked flint flake 11 7 Lithic Worked flint flake 14 8 Lithic Worked flake 14 9 Stone Possible quern rubbing stone 28 10 Ceramic Decorated food vessel, Cist 1 1 11 Ceramic Decorated food vessel, Cist 2 2 12 Lithic Worked bloodstone flake, blade 15 5 13 Lithic Worked flint blade 11 14 Lithic Worked flint blade 11 Slag or 15 Slag, coke 20 7 coke 16 Lithic Bloodstone fragment, possibly water worn 11 17 Lithic Quartz flake, possibly worked 11 18 Lithic Quartz flake, possibly worked 11 19 Lithic Bloodstone flake 11 20 Lithic Quartz flake, possibly worked 11 9 21 Lithic Abraided bloodstone flake 11 22 Lithic Bloodstone flake 11 23 Lithic Quartz flakes, probably worked 56 7 24 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 25 Ceramic Decorated urn rim fragment 57 12 26 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 27 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (4) 57 12 28 Stone Wrist guard fragment with hole 56 7 29 Ceramic Decorated urn rim fragment 57 12 30 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (2) 57 12 31 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 32 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 33 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 34 Lithic Probable worked quartz flakes 58 7 35 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (2) 57 12 36 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 37 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (4) 57 12 38 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (2) 57 12 39 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 40 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 41 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 42 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (2) 57 12

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No. Type Description Context Feature 43 Ceramic Decorated urn fragments (2) 57 12 44 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 45 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 46 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 47 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 48 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 49 Ceramic Decorated urn fragment 57 12 50 Ceramic Food vessel #3 - Cist 4 56 7 51 Lithic Quartz flake, not rolled 59 12 52 Lithic Rolled flint, bloodstone flake 19 53 Lithic Flint flake 53 14 54 Lithic Flint flake 51 17 55 Lithic Flint flake, poss. Microlith 51 17 56 Lithic Flint flake 36 18 57 Ceramic Modern pottery frag 36 18 58 Lithic Quartz flake 30 13 59 Lithic Barbed and tanged arrow point, bottom half-burnt 34 14 60 Lithic Poss. Meso. Blade tip, visible retouch, but worn 36 18 61 Ceramic? Stone or ceramic sherd? 36 18 62 Ceramic 19-20th c. pottery frag, green glaze 36 18 63 Lithic Flint and bloodstone flakes 62 19 64 Ceramic 4 sherds, glazed 19th c. pot; 1 sherd brick 66 18 65 Lithic Worn/cremated flint scraper 71 19 66 Lithic Quartz or flint flake, poss. Worked 17 2 67 Lithic Bloodstone, not worked 49 68 Lithic Quartz flake, not worked 49 69 Lithic Quartz flake, not worked 49 70 Lithic Quartz flake 49 71 Lithic 2 bloodstone flakes 49 72 Lithic Quartz flake 17 2 73 Lithic Quartz flake 49 74 Lithic Flint flake 49 75 Lithic Bloodstone flake 49 76 Lithic Flint flake, worked 49 77 Lithic Flint scraper 11 78 Lithic Flint flakes, rolled (3) 14 79 Lithic Flint flakes, rolled (6) 14 80 Lithic Quartz flake 25 11 81 Bone Frag 25 11 82 Lithic Quartz flake 49 83 Lithic Worked flint flakes (3) base of cremation deposit 73 26 84 Lithic Rolled flint pebble, possibly worked 73 26 85 Lithic Flint blade 54 7 86 Lithic Flint flakes, worked (2) 25 27 87 Lithic Flint flake 77 27

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No. Type Description Context Feature 88 Bone Unstrat-Single small bone frag from Cist 4 fill - 7 89 Lithic Bloodstone flake 6 1 Hammerstone, some residue, one worked end; used as 90 Stone 105 28 packing stone in post hole 91 Lithic Bloodstone flake, rolled 105 28 92 Lithic Flint flakes (1 rolled, 1 sharp) 95 29 93 Lithic Bloodstone knife/scraper, from fill under disturbed cist 59 12 94 Lithic Rolled bloodstone, possibly worked-near Find 93 59 12 95 Stone Hammerstone, one end worked, from Cist 3 32 4 96 Lithic 2 flint pebble pieces 105 28 97 Lithic Flint flake, worked 105 28 98 Lithic Flint, worked, poss. Meso. 106 4 99 Lithic Bloodstone flakes (2) 13 4 100 Lithic Bloodstone flake 65 19 101 Lithic Bloodstone, poss. bipolar core 54 7 102 Lithic Bloodstone, poss. pitchstone, dark green, rejuv flake 65 19 103 Lithic Bloodstone, rolled junk 65 19 104 Lithic 2 bloodstone flakes, 1 flint flake 71 19 105 Lithic 1 flint flake 121 34 106 Lithic Barbed and tanged flint arrow point 121 34 107 Lithic Barbed and tanged flint arrow point 121 34 108 Lithic Flint knife (plano-convex?), serrated edges 120 34 109 Lithic Flint knife (plano-convex?), serrated edges 120 34 110 Lithic Barbed and tanged flint arrow point 120 34 2 bloodstone flakes, possibly worked, 1 poss. Pitchstone flake, 111 Lithic 131 23 rolled 112 Ceramic? Black, possible pot fragment 23 Earthenware ceramic fragment, orange on face, black other 113 Ceramic 134 23 face 114 Lithic 2 quartz flakes, 1 bloodstone flake, not rolled 132 23 115 Lithic Bloodstone flake, worked 133

116 Lithic Pitchstone flake, overburden E side of site near Cist 6 location -

62 117 Lithic Flint (white) flack, possibly debitage from septic outfall trench - (natural) 55 118 Golf ball Golf ball from overlying topsoil in septic outfall trench - (topsoil) 55 119 Coin Copper coin from overlying site topsoil, looks like 1891 date - (topsoil) 2 rolled flint flakes, 2 rolled bloodstone flakes from site spoil, 120 Lithic - - not in context Worked flint (scraper?), found during sieving cremated 121 Lithic 15 5 remains from pit F.5 Cremated teeth found during sieving from cremated remains 122 Teeth 15 5 from pit F.5

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